Kingdom Hearts: a Heartless' Journey Chain of Memories
by ShadowHuntress98
Summary: Rosalinda continues her adventure, but this time without her friends. She's forced to relive some of her best memories, and some of her most painful memories as she goes through Castle Oblivion. She runs into a few people who clam they have no heart and that they are Nobodies.
1. Chapter 1

I tossed and turned as we all slept in the grass. Something wasn't right. I've been having nightmares every day since we defeated Ansem. They were nightmares about the darkness taking over me completely that I had no control whatsoever, and I was killing the ones close to me. I sat up with sweat running down my face, and saw Devain who was fast asleep to my left. Everyone elses was also asleep. I stood up, wiped the sweat off my face, and tried to make as little noise as possible. We were following Pluto for a few days, but we lost him as some point and just followed the path.

I yawned and started to walk down the path. _'What's going on? Something just isn't right. Why am I having all theses stupid nightmares?' _I thought when I was a few feet away from everyone. I stumbled as I tripped over a rock, and landed with a loud thud. I yelled a little when I fell. "Shit. I hope no one heard me." I whispered as I brushed off the skirt part of my heartless outfit. Yes, I was still stuck in my Heartless appearance. Ever since we battled Ansem I was not able to change back no matter what I tried.

"Rose, where are you going?" I heard a groggy Devain say behind me.

"Oh!" I turned around to look at Devain. "Just gonna walk up the road a little. Don't know where I'm going, but I'll be back before everyone else wakes up. Promise. Just go back to sleep till then."

"Alright." He said and laid back down.

I sighed and continued to walk up the road till I got to a cross. I sighed. "Well, no sense in getting lost." I said as I walked forward.

I continued walking until I ended up near a castle. The castle had a bronze color with lots and lots of blue spikes everywhere, but that may have been parts of the roofs that came off, because the roofs were blue too. On the sides of the castle it almost looks like it was destroyed. I had a strange urge to go in, but something stopped me.

"What the hell is this place?" I asked myself. I shook my head at how crazy I was sounding, and walked in.

The inside of the castle was all white. "What the hell? Did I die and go to heaven, or did I go to hell because everything is so clean?" I walked around the entrance for a little. "Hello! Anyone here?! Hello!"

"Lot's of people, not exactly a fan of a lot of them, but they're here." I heard a voice say.

I turned around to see a man in a black long trench coat with fire red hair and emerald green eyes. He even had dark purple or black upside down tear tattoos under each of his eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked as I stared at the man. He looked familiar. Familiar like I've seen him around a few times as a kid. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think so, I don't remember you."

I shrugged. "What's your name?"

"Name's Axel, got it memorized?" He tapped his temple when he said got it memorized. "So, got a name goth girl?"

"Rosalinda. What makes you think I'm a goth?" I asked suddenly remembering what I looked like. "Actually, nevermind."

He smirked. "Well then, Rosalinda what brings you here?"

"I was walking around and got curious when I got to the castle, so I came in."

"Now what would a girl like you be doing up when it's still dark out? It's only 3:00 AM."

I just looked at him, and said nothing.

"Could it be that something was bothering you? Well then," He said and threw a card at me, "why not just go through your memories and find what is bothering you."

I looked down at the blue card in my hand. It had a picture of Hollow Bastion on it. "I already know what's bothering me, sorta. What's this?" I asked looking up at him.

"It's a card made from your memories."

"Why would I want this?"

"So you can really tell what is bothering you, and maybe find one of your friends."

"Friends… Riku's here?!"

Axel nodded. "Just a few floors ahead of you, but do you really want to lose to find?"

"Lose to find?! What are you talking about?!"

"In this castle to lose if to find, and to find is to lose. If you want to see what I mean, I guess you just have to go through the castle."

"How about you just tell me," I said and summoned my Keyblade, "or I'll make you tell me."

"Oh come now, Rosalinda. Violence gets you nowhere, but to more violence."  
I sighed and then looked at him annoyed. "Whatever, just let me through so I can find my friend." I told him.

"Only if you ask nicely." Axel said as he leaned on the door.

"Fine. Will you please move."

"Well, since you asked so nicely." He said sarcastically and got off the door, and disappeared in some kind of portal.

I looked at the card again. _'Hollow Bastion, why is everything with me Hollow Bastion. I got turned into a Heartless there, the Heartless attacked , but that's what turned me into a Heartless, Maleficent controlled me when I went back there, and it was my home. Well, it still is, but it's the fact of the matter of wondering why the hell it has to become my living hell.'_ I just stared at it for a while thinking if I really should listen to what Axel said, but how can I trust him? I let out a loud sigh and raised my arms up as I stretched. The card that was in my hand disappeared and the door opened to a yellow and white portal. _'So that's how these cards work. This is gonna be a long day or several long days.' _I walked into the portal and was of course at Hollow Bastion.

The difference with this Hollow Bastion was the fact that it's Radiant Garden!

"What the hell? But, I- I don't get it?" I sighed and felt something appear in my hand. It was a gold card that said _Key of Beginnings. _I put the card in my pocket. _'You've gotta be kidding me! What is this supposed to be used for?' _I sighed again and walked around the many hallways till I got to a door with a gold crown on it. I grabbed the gold card out of my pocket and held it up in the air and the door opened.

"Hello?" I asked as I walked in not seeing anyone at first. I wandered around Squall's old room, and sat on the bed looking at the ground. "Guess no one's here."

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my room?" I heard a young man ask.

I looked up to see young 17 year old Squall looking at me with his gunblade in hand.

"Squally, It's me. Rosalinda."

"No, she's seven." He said. "You're around my age."

"Squall, I'm a older version of her. This is all just my memories. You're just the Squall from my memories." I tried to explain. "I can prove it."

"Try, you've got 15 seconds."

"You were on you way to your room with 7 year old me to play a game because she said that there were these monsters chasing her. Black shadow monsters to be exact. You wanted to play the game with her to calm her down, and Cloud was going to join you two when you played the game, so Cloud is not far behind you. After you, Cloud, and Rosalinda have been here for a little those monsters will attack and Rosalinda will get consumed by darkness." I said hopefully in 15 seconds.

"And 9 years later I'll meet you in Traverse Town." Squall said. "How did-how do I…?"

"Don't worry Squall. I'm probably just as confused as you are." I said smiling.

"So that means the Heartless are coming soon."

I sighed and nodded. "You and Cloud just found a game to play when the Heartless attacked. You want that to be different though, don't you?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Then you wouldn't meet Devain, and make him think you hate him," I said laughing, "and I still might be trying to flirt with Cloud."

"I doubt it would change much, the only thing I can think of is less Heartless."

"They would just take over another world then and use that world as their headquarters then."

"This world is still going to get consumed, Cloud and I can't fight off that many Heartless at once. We're still going to have to run."

I sighed and the room started to fade away. I was standing in the hallway and Heartless were coming, and they were coming fast! I summoned my Keyblade and ran only attacking the ones that were in my way. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't get another card to go to any other rooms. Was I trapped here forever?! I felt something grab my leg.  
"Oh no you don't!" I told the Heartless and swung my Keyblade at it.

Several more Heartless attacked me. I really was reliving this nightmare! This time though a Heartless actually hit me and knocked me out.

_**Several Minutes Later**_

I was laying on the floor in a white room. I was assuming I was still in the castle. I stood up and rubbed my head. _'Why do I always get head injuries? I'm surprised I don't have a concussion yet.' _I stumbled a little as I walked but sat down on the steps that let up to another floor. "Stupid castle, stupid painful memory. Why did I have so start with that one?" I asked myself.

"Because it is the one that started it all." I heard a voice say.

I looked up to see a man with long blond hair and green eyes. He was wearing a black coat that was almost identical to Axel's. "Who are you?" I asked.

"I am Vexen, one of this castle's residence at this moment." He introduced himself. "You seem to have a strange past."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, more pain then anything though."

"Well, Rosalinda, you seem to be a unique being. The ability to wield a Keyblade is only beared by a few and only one of them a Heartless."

"How do you know my name, that I'm a Heartless, and that I have a Keyblade?!" I asked surprised.

"I was informed of the information one of my comrades knew about you."

"Axel?" I asked.

"I won't tell you their name."

I sigh. "How did I get here? I was attacked by Heartless, and now I'm here."

"That is where the memory of that world ended, so you exited the memory."

"But how? I was knocked out."

"The castle handles the transition from memory to reality very well. Step through a door, portal, or reach the end of a memory, you are transferred to the nearest reality room."

"That's amazing!" I exclaimed.

"But that is not what I came to discuss." Vexen told me. "I came because I wish to know how you gave into darkness, and still have the ability to wield a Keyblade."

"I was told since I continued to fight the darkness after it consumed me I was still able to wield my Keyblade. I still fight it even as we speak." I told him.

"Your commitment to hold it at bay for so long is admirable, but you do know that it will eventually consume you completely?"

"Then I'll fight it for as long as I can. I know that one day I'll be back to normal." I said smiling.

"That day may not come soon enough, but we won't delve into that topic further. I am here to help you on your way." He held up a card like the one Axel gave me. I couldn't see what the card had on it because Vexen had the back facing me. "There is another locked door at the top of those steps, you will need this card to get through."

"Can I please have the card then?" I asked.

"Of course." He threw the card and it landed at my feet. "These worlds will be in the same order that you encountered them in. Save for some exceptions."

I picked up the card and saw that it was Traverse Town. "Traverse Town." I said quietly.

"Yes, now move quickly." Vexen said. "You shouldn't want to be in here longer than necessary."

"Oh right! Thanks Vexen!" I shouted and headed up the stairs. I was standing at the locked door. "One down. Who knows how many to go." I said and unlocked the door, and headed inside.

**Yay! Chapter one of Chain of Memories! This will be very interesting. Hope you guys like!**


	2. Chapter 2

I wandered around Traverse Town for a few minutes looking for the door with the gold crown on it. Heartless attacked me, but they were not that hard. I was mostly getting attacked by shadows. I ran into a cute little creature called a Moogle. It was so cute! I wanted one as a pet.

I eventually found the door I was looking for and went in. I was in the first district, and Squall was walking around. I of course had to run over to him.

"Squall!" I shouted and ran up to him.

"Rose Bush, I've been expecting you."

I smiled. "I kind of figured."

"The Heartless have been here for a while."

"Yeah, and don't worry. I'll take care of a good chunk of them."

"Your friends will help too."

"Is Devain still stuck on the flagpole?" I asked.

"YES!" I heard Devain's voice scream behind me.

"Hey, Sweetie!" I said forgetting that they are only memories. "How's it hanging?"

"NOT funny!" Devain shouted. "Also, why'd you call me 'Sweetie'?"

"Oh yeah, everyone's a memory." I mumbled. "Don't worry. This won't hurt much!" I told him.

"Wait, what's going to hurt?" He flailed around all panicky and fell, just like last time.

I laughed. "Just like the first time." I said and helped him up.

"Thanks, and what first time? I'm pretty sure I never took a summer job as a flag."

"You're one of my memories. You're technically a fake."

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm real."

I laughed. "You're going to ask me out when we go to a world called Olympus Coliseum. Sora, Donald, and Goofy spied on us the whole time. You're also gonna get in trouble with him a few times." I said and pointed at Squall.

He looked over my shoulder at Squall. "I am an idiot if that's true."

I sighed. "And what do you mean by that?"

"If I get in trouble with him, I'm pretty sure he'd gut me like a fish."

"He almost killed you on the gummi ship, remember." I said and poked his forehead.

"Oh yeah, it was be- wait, how do I remember that? It hasn't even happened yet."

"I actually don't know. Every person I encounter from my memories started to remember me and events that haven't happened to them yet… technically."

"That is very weird."

I nodded. "Crap." I said then facepalmed myself.

"What?"

"When we get to the third district we have a giant Heartless to fight."

"And...how is that bad?"

"I just remember that I hated that Heartless."

"Well, if memory serves it was pretty easy to take down."

"For everyone else at that time." I said. "I guess I'll see you in a little then."

"Probably, but isn't there supposed to be a fight with him and Yuffie before that?"

I laughed. "Yeah, but maybe it'll be in the next room I have to go to." As I said this the room started to fade again.

I was then left wandering around Traverse town looking for another door with a crown. I felt the card appear in my hand and I just held it as I attacked Heartless. I found the door with the crown on it.

"I'll bet 500 munny that it's the fight with Squall, and Yuffie or us in the hotel room."

I raised my arm and the card disappeared. I walked in and I was at the hotel room.

"How come you got to miss the fight?!" Devain asked.

I shrugged and sat on the bed. "Let me guess." I looked at Squall. "You and Yuffie are gonna explain to us about the Heartless and Keyblades."

Squall sighed. "That was the plan, but we already know, so now what?"

I shrugged trying to remember what happened. "We're talking and then a Heartless attack us which leads to us fighting that giant Heartless."

Right after I said that a Soldier Heartless appeared in the corner of the room.

I rolled my eyes. "Here we go again." The room started to fade and I was the searching for the last door as the last card appeared in my hand. After battling many Heartless I found the door that I needed. I used the card and walked in.

I was at the third district. Donald, Goofy, Devain, Sora, and Squall all looked like they just entered.

"Hey guys." I said as I caught up to them.

"And the pillars will show up in 3...2...1…" Right after Devain said "1" pillars shot up, blocking all exits with a bunch of Soldiers on top of them.

"Who would have known?" I asked jokingly. The Heartless that I was waiting for attack a few minutes later. I dashed at its arms, Devain attacked the feet, and everyone else just attacked the thing in general.

"Is there a quicker way to beat this thing?" Sora asked.

"Stop complaining and keep hitting." I told him as the arms exploded.

"Well excuse me!" Sora shouted and attacked the chest.

The feet of the Heartless exploded, and we let Sora finish the Heartless. When it exploded he went back a few feet and hit the wall.

"Only if that happened the first time." I said and helped Sora up.

"It definitely would've made the fight better." Devain said with a grin.

"What are you two talking about?!" Sora asked confused.

I looked at Devain. "You didn't tell him?"

"Didn't exactly have many opportunities to."

"Can someone just please explain what's going on before I get more confused?" Sora asked.

"You're a memory Sora." I told him. "Everyone I'm running into is."

"That makes no sense."

"None of it does." I told him. "I just know if I tell you stuff that I remember that didn't technically happen to you yet you will remember a lot of it."

"O...kay?"

I laughed a little. "I'll explain later. See you at… Wonderland." I told them as the area started to disappear again. I was in another section of Traverse Town and no Heartless attacked. I smiled as I walked through a portal to leave.

"Guess that wasn't too bad." I told myself as I walked into the next white room.

"It wouldn't be for three Keyblade wielders." I heard a feminine voice tell me.

"Okay, just give me my card. I don't really wanna go into a long speech that will make this a longer journey for me." I told the blond haired woman in a black jacket.

"Be patient." She said.

"Being pa-" She cut me off.

"Shut up, I'm talking. I'm the one who can let you up to the next floor. You have a lot of different worlds in your memory, almost as much as the other members of the Organization. You, my little friend, are special."

I rolled my eyes. "Special seems to be a word that lots of people associate with me. Can I just have my card already?"

"Fine." She said. "If you want to go that badly be my guest." She threw the card at me and it was going for my eye. I ducked before it hit me and it hit the wall before fluttering to the floor.

"Hey! Watch it blondie!" I said and picked up the card.

"What did you just call me?!" She shouted angrily.

"Blondie." I said and started to walk past her.

Lightning started to arc down her arms until it got to her clenched fists, were it formed into eight throwing knives. "I'll give you five seconds to run."

"Or what, you'll zap me? I'm so scared!" I sarcastically said and put the back of my hand to my forehead.

She threw a knife at me and it cut off some of my hair. "Next time, I'll aim for your face"

"You'll miss." I told her.

She spread out her seven knives. "I've got a few tries."

"Then be my guest." I said and walked a few feet away from her to give us some more distance.

She sent three knives at my headed for, guess where, my face. I used a portal and had them hit her from behind.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKER!" This time she rushed at me ready to cut me to ribbons.

I jumped out of the way and summoned my Keyblade. "Don't you think you're over reacting a little?" I asked as I blocked her slashes.

She continued slashing at me furiously. I summoned a portal and she fell in. I sent her to Atlantica.

"Bye blondie." I said and started to walk up the stairs.

Another portal opened right in front of me and the lady came out, shoving both fists full of knives into my stomach. I fell to the ground in pain screaming as she twisted each knife. "Not so tough now, are you?"

I said nothing and bit my lip trying to stop the screams. I grabbed her wrist trying to pull the knives out and get her away from me.

She twisted them harder. "Don't try it."

I couldn't think straight and begged. "Please… Stop."

She grinned as if enjoying this. "Not until you're on the ground." She said twisting them more making me fall to my knees even though they slid out painfully. I gripped my stomach and fell to my side. I felt myself healing, but not very fast.

She crouched down and admired her knives. "It seems like getting me angry wasn't such a good idea, was it?"

I shook my head. "What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from YOU." She said. "There are three people in this castle that could suit our cause quite well."

I didn't quite understand what she was saying. "Three people?"

"Three other than you. One came before you, one right after, and the last came a few hours after him."

"If it's my friends leave them alone." I told her weakly. _'Come on! Heal faster dammit!' _

"It doesn't matter if they're your friends or not. You won't be around by the time any of them get here."

I sighed. "Tell whoever is giving you and the others orders that he or she will die when I see them. I'm not letting the ones I care about get hurt any longer."

"Oh, they're not going to be hurt by any of US."

"Then who?"

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out."

I growled a little and said nothing.

"Oh you're so scary, I'm quaking in my boots." She said sarcastically and put one of her knives to my forehead. "Go ahead and try to get out of this, I like it when they squirm."

I started to summon a portal, but failed miserably.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Rosalinda."

'_Does everyone in this castle know my name?!' _I did nothing but lay there with my arms still wrapped around my stomach.

"Aren't you even going to try? You're disappointing me."

"I know when I've been defeated…" I said quietly.

She smirked. "Fine, have it your way." She slowly started to put pressure on the knife.

I squirmed in pain and went to grab her wrist with one of my hands.

She stabbed one of her other knives into my wrist, pinning it to the floor. "Nice try."

I screamed in pain again.

"Larxene, cease and desist!" I heard Vexen scream.

The woman looked up at him. "But we've got three more, better contestants for our plans." She looked at me. "Besides, we're supposed to eliminate Heartless, aren't we?"

"Not this one." He said with a smirk creeping onto his face. "You know she is a special Heartless."

"She doesn't seem special." Larxene said.

"She wields a Keyblade, and she is a Heartless, remember?"

"We have three other Keyblade wielders in this castle, and you said two of them has enough darkness to create a Heartless like no other."

"I know what I said, and I have my reasons. Now let her go." He demanded.

She sneered.

"That's an ORDER, or would you rather have the Superior at your neck."

"Fine." She took her knife out of my wrist and took away the one on my forehead. She disappeared in a portal a few seconds later.

I looked at Vexen who was still looking at me. "What?" I asked him.

"Don't aggravate her again."

"Trust me, I won't." I said and sat up leaning on the wall. There was a puddle of blood on the floor from me.

"Take the card and move to the next floor."

I showed him the card that was mostly covered in my blood. I tried to stand, but was extremely dizzy and leaned on the wall.

"Here." He flicked an identical (minus the blood) card in my direction. "This card will work on the next door as well."

I nodded and leaned on the wall slowly making my way up the stairs. When I finally reached the next room I quickly sat on the ground and looked at my wounds from Larxene. "That girl's a bitch." I whispered wiping the blood from my pale stomach. "This will be fun." I said and started to walk to the door to go to Wonderland. I fell just a few feet away from the door and blacked out.

**Note to self. Don't piss off Larxene. It will not end well. **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Devain's POV**_

I was climbing up the stairs to the second floor. _'This place is weird. How the hell is it tapping into my head and grabbing everything that happened to me?' _When I got to the top of the steps I held up the Wonderland card to the door. The card made a flash and disappeared. Then there was a white and yellow portal where the door used to be. I walked through and I was at Wonderland, as expected. A gold card appeared in my hand, the_ Key of Beginnings. 'I wonder if this is a part of this place too.' _I thought and put it into my back pocket. I walked forward through the hallway in the rabbit hole. I found the door to the Strange Room without much difficulty. I opened it up and was in, for some reason I was already shrunken. "I keep thinking that I won't be surprised by this place." I said. I walked to the door behind the bed, there was a crown on it. When I went through I was back at the trial of Alice. Rose, Donald, and Goofy standing next to me.

"Alice, do you understand the charges against you?" The rabbit said.

"Of course not, I've done nothing wrong!" Alice responded.

The queen leaned over in the judge's stand. "Feigning ignorance, dear? You are charged with aiding the creatures called Heartless, who threaten my kingdom!"

"Fiddlesticks!" Alice shouted. "Where's the evidence?"

"The evidence is...I forgot! That's the evidence! Because you, Alice, are the one who stole my memory!" The queen shouted.

I ran into the courtroom. "Objection! If there is no evidence that proves this little girl aided the Heartless, than this trial should not be taking place, because there is no possible way that the plaintiff could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty."

"My evidence is that she stole my memory!" She slammed her giant heart shaped lollipop on the desk.

"How do you know it was her if she stole your memory? Surely if this little girl was capable of such a thing than she surely would've taken that memory as well."

"Because I am the queen, and I say so. That's how I know!"

I smirked. "There's only one entity that's all knowing and I'm pretty sure you're not him."

"That is it! Cards! Attack!"

The cards all tried to jump on me but I rolled to the side and summoned my Keyblade. "Let's play war." I smiled and rushed at the cards. One card thrusted his spear at me but I caught it in the teeth of my Keyblade, twisted and it fell to the ground. I turned and saw an axe coming at me. I blocked it on the shaft pulled up the weapon catching the bottom of the axe head. I yanked hard and the axe flew out of the card's hands and hit the chair right next to the queen.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" The queen shouted.

I dodged another axe coming at me and tripped the card using it with my Keyblade. I thought that was the last of them but three more appeared, a spades and two hearts. The hearts cards thrusted their spears at me but I jumped up and over the spears. On my way down I hit them both in the head, right side with my Keyblade, and left with my hand. I looked to the last card and rushed at him. He swung his axe sideways at me, but I slid under it and him. I held my Keyblade straight up on my way through. When I got up the card was on the ground. "Anyone else?" I asked. Six more cards appeared, three with axes, three with spears. I grinned. "Finally, a challenge." The cards rushed at me again and I rushed towards them. I spun my Keyblade in front of me and kept charging. I hit all of their weapons out of their hands and sent them flying in all directions. "Disappointing, even six of them can't make make me break a sweat." I looked around and noticed something...well, a lack of something. "Where'd Alice go?"

"She must've escaped." Goofy said.

"Perhaps she did, but YOU won't!" The queen screamed. All the cards turned towards us, weapons drawn.

"I think we're trumped!" Donald said.

"Go! I'll keep them off you!" I said. Everyone else ran and the cards weren't exactly eager to fight me, because of what I just showed I could do.

"What are you doing?!" The queen kept screaming. "Don't just stand there! Attack!"

I spun my Keyblade again. "Seems like their fear of me outweighs their fear for you, your royal fatness."

Her face turned red with anger. "HOW DARE YOU!? I AM THE QUEEN! NO ONE INSULTS THE QUEEN!"

"Who you are you calling no one?" I said.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!" The queen screamed.

"What? You afraid that one guy with a big key is going to topple your house of cards?"

"No." The queen said.

"You don't sound too sure of yourself. Looks like you fear me, just as much as your cards do." I said.

"How dare you speak to me like that! Cards! ATTACK AGAIN!"

They slowly inched forward and I smirked. "I think you deserve to be on trial, Queen. You're a spoiled tyrant that always puts her own needs and wants before anything else, even a life."

She said nothing and crossed her arms.

"You know I'm right. You were about to kill Alice because you forgot something, you're sending your guards after me, even though I just took down about the same number." The room started to fade. "I guess this means I'm not going to cause you more trouble. If you play nice."

When the room completely faded I was back in the forest and the _Key to Guidance _appeared in my hand. I put that in my back pocket, like all the others and looked for the door it went to. I finally found it in the queen's garden. I held up the card and the door opened to the forest floor. I saw Alice standing there. I ran up to her and she turned around. "Things got a little bit crazy back there, but you're fine, right?"

"Yes, I'm okay. Thankfully the cards were preoccupied with you and your friends to notice me slip away."

"Even being here a second time makes me feel high." Rose said as she walked up to me attempting to lean on my shoulder.

"Hey Rose." I said to her and smiled. I haven't done that much since coming into this place.

"What did I miss?" Rose asked.

"Just me hopefully getting some sense into the queen's head. Oh, and I found Alice."

"She still wanna kill everyone?"

"Well, I think she's afraid of me, the rest of you are probably still on her hit list though."

"Um, mister, I must thank you for saving me." Alice said.

"It's not a problem, and just call me 'Devain'." I told her.

"Well then, thank you, Devain." She smiled at me.

That's when the cat started to appear. "Feeling better after that mad dash, are we? Oh, but you're not out of the woods yet!" He disappeared and reappeared on a mushroom behind us. "The queen's a stickler for justice! She won't forget you till she remembers! She won't stop hounding you until you get her memory back! Did she forget because she remembers? Does she remember that she forgot? Doesn't matter, I suppose."

"I think we should just stay away from her." I said.

Rose laughed a little.

"But what about Alice?" Jiminy asked. "If the queen catches her again, it's off with- well, you know."

"Then let's do something about the queen." I said.

The Cheshire Cat disappeared and reappeared on a branch behind us. "You should do something, but you don't have to do anything."

"What?" I asked.

"If you can't remember something, it's like it never happened. Likewise, if something never happened, you can't remember it. Try too hard to remember, and your memory might lie to you."

"Lie?" Sora asked.

"That's all I'll say. The rest is for you to figure out." He disappeared.

The room started to fade and when it was completely gone I was in the tree tops of the forest, once again. The _Key of Truth_ appeared in my hand and I put that in my pocket like the rest. I searched around for the door it went to and eventually found it on the forest floor, squeezed into the northeastern corner. I held up the card and it flashed. When the flash was gone, the door was replace by a portal. I walked through and was met with a battalion of card guards. _'It seems this is a bad time to be Alice.'_ I thought to myself . The cards turned so we could look past them and guess who was standing in the back, the Queen of Hearts.

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, did you?" She asked.

"I wish I did." I told her.

"Game's up scoundrels! For stealing my memory, I sentence you to...I sentence you too…" There was a flash and the queen was wide eyed. "I...sentence...Oh? What's going on? Where am I?"

"Huh?" Donald asked.

"What in the world am I doing?! Confound it, I can't remember!" The queen screamed.

"Anybody else think that the queen has chronic amnesia?" I asked.

Rose shrugged. "Maybe… Wait! No! The memory thing that happened to us. Maybe something like that is happening to her."

"Devain, Sora, watch out!" Alice yelled looking up.

I looked up and saw the Trick Master falling down to us. It slammed down and stood up. When it was fully standing, everyone else faded away. "Guess I'm doing this solo." I summoned my Keyblade and ran at it. I jumped up onto its up leg and jumped from there to its shoulder, where I wailed on the thing until it died.

"You there! All of you!" The queen shouted at us. "What is the meaning of this? Where did that creature come from?"

"How would WE know?" Sora asked her.

"So, you refuse to answer. You're hiding something! They're plotting against me! Seize them immediately!"

The cards were less hesitant than last time. They turned toward us and started to move in.

"Please, Your Majesty, wait!" Alice yelled. "It was you who commanded us to destroy those creatures."

"When did that happen?" Rose whispered to me.

"Just go with it." I whispered back.

"Your Majesty, in her prudence, didn't completely trust us at first. And so, at Your Majesty's command, we fought them to prove ourselves. Isn't that right, Devain?"

"Yup, we humbly accepted the task of defending you, Your Majesty."

"I...told you...to do that?" The queen asked.

"But, Your Majesty, don't you remember?" Alice asked.

"Don't be ridiculous! I never forget anything! Of course I gave the command. You did splendidly."

The queen and the cards turned around and marched off.

"Well, that was close." Alice said.

"Alice, you're an evil genius!" I yelled to her.

"But the Cheshire Cat said as much. 'Try too hard to remember, and your memory will lie to you.' The queen would never admit she forgot. So instead, she remembered something…that didn't happen! She ended up fooling herself."

I looked off in the direction the queen went. I know this is just a memory, but what if this keeps happening?

"What is it, Devain?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. I guess you're safe now, huh?"

"And the queen won't give us any more trouble!" Goofy yelled excitedly. "After all, we got rid of the Heartless, just like she commanded!"

"Don't tell me you've been fooled too!" Donald screamed and jumped up in the air.

The room faded and when it was gone I was in a part of the forest that was called "Conqueror's Respite." There was a tall tree with a ladder on it. I climbed up the ladder and made it to the top of the tree, there was an already unlocked door there. I guessed it led out of this world, and I guessed right. I walked into the next white room. "Well, glad I'm out of Crazy Town."

"To bad you were not out fast enough to save your little girlfriend." I heard a voice say.

I looked around and saw a tall man with extremely long blond hair and piercing green eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Your girlfriend, Rosalinda was attacked by one of my… comrades."

"Where is she?!" I shouted at him.

"Maybe on the next floor, or two floors ahead of you. You should have seen her."

"Take me to her! Now!"

"Why would I do that? I can't lose her."

"Neither can I! Now send me to where she is!"

"Um… No. I need to study and understand her. Next time you see her she will be killing you." A evil smile appeared on his face.

"Don't you fucking dare control her." I said anger filling my words. "She's been through enough already."

He laughed. "She looked like she was almost willingly ready to give up. My comrade was close to killing her, and she was ready to accept death."

"You're lying!" I shouted at him. "The Rose I know would never give up without a fight!"

"Then explain the blood over there." He pointed near the stairs. I saw the blood lead up the stairs. I ran up them as fast as I could hoping to get to her quickly. When I saw the door it was closing. There was someone with a black coat holding Rose behind it. Right when I got to the door it shut and locked.

I slammed my fist against the door. "No, no, no! I'm not going to lose her again!"

The man I had just spoken to appeared a few feet away. "So close, but so far."

"Give me the card." I said to him, still facing the door.

"I cannot give you her cards. They are her memories and you have your memories."

"Than bring her back!" I shouted at him as I turned around. "I'll do anything, just bring her back to me."

"Anything?"

"Yes, anything. Just give her back to me."

"I can only do half of that."

"What?" I asked him, not understanding.

"I cannot give her back to you, but I will control you for her to be 'safe'."

"What is it I have to do to keep her safe?"

An evil smile appeared on his face. "Just step right through this portal." He said and gestured to his left.

"Where will this take me?" The answer didn't matter, as long as Rose was safe, I'd go any where to keep it that way.

"A place that you will meet my comrades, and become a puppet."

I felt a tug on my pant leg. I looked down to see Stella.

'_Don't fall for it!' _She shouted in my head.

I crouched down and looked at her. _'Stella, what's wrong?'_

'_I don't really know, but I have a terrible feeling about if you go with him. Don't go! Think about it. He wants to use you as a puppet. Last time you were a puppet you were told to kill someone. Mommy will be fine! I know she will be!' _

'_Stella, I saw her get carried away by someone in the same coat as the two guys before. If I had to guess, they're all apart of the same group. If I go with him, I might find Rose again.'_

'_DADDY! Listen to yourself! You can't go! You know the consequences if you go with him.'_

'_Whatever they are, it's worth it to keep Rose safe.' _I rubbed her head like I ruffled her nonexistent hair. _'Stay here, and keep out of trouble.' _I stood up and turned toward the portal. I took a deep breath and walked through.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Rose's POV**_

I woke up in what I was assuming was a science lab room. I went to sit up on the bed I was on but immediately laid back down because my stomach hurt way too much to sit up. I was sore felt like I was jabbed with 8 knives. Oh wait, I was. Damn Larxene and her damn knives.

"I need to get out of here, somehow." I told myself.

"Finally awake?" I heard Vexen ask.

"What the hell do you want?"

"I simply wish to inform you that there is someone here you may wish to see."

"If it's Larxene she can go to hell."

"I said someone YOU may wish to see." He stepped out of the doorway. "You may come in now."

Devain walked in, but something was definitely wrong. He was in his dark suit, the one that he was in when we fought Ansem and he controlled us.

"Devain?" I looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Yes?" He sounded slightly irritated.

"W-what happened to you?"

He looked to Vexen, as if to ask permission to tell me. Vexen nodded. "I made a deal with Vexen, if I came here and worked for him and his group, then he'd keep you safe."

I looked at Vexen with anger coming through. "You bastard!" I shouted at him. "When I can get up you are dead! Devain will not be a puppet or anything like that for you ever!"

"He already is." Vexen said and put his arm around Devain. "He is the prime candidate for what we have been trying to do since the Organization's founding."

I had nothing to say at first. I was full of rage. "This can't be happening." I mumbled.

"Oh, but it is." Vexen said. "And when Devain is past his prime we will...create another."

I looked at him completely confused. I tried to force myself to get up again. I tried to ignore the pain this time. I had to bite my lip so no noise would come from me.

"He will be cloned into a younger version of himself and we shall dispose of the original."

"No you won't. Not if I have anything to do about it." I said as I finally sat up.

"It's not your choice." He turned and walked out of the room, Devain behind him. The door shut once again and I was locked in.

'_Now what?' _I thought. _'I'm trapped, and I probably can't get out… or can I?' _I forced myself to stand. I was very wobbly when I stood, and had to lean on the bed so I wouldn't fall. _'I will get out of here.' _I thought as I badly walked around the room having to lean on a lot of stuff.

I sighed after about an hour of trying to find and figure a way out. "This is pointless." I said and walked over to the bed and sat down staring at the door.

'_Mommy! A really tall guy took Daddy!'_ I heard Stella's voice in my head.

'_Yes Stella, I know. I just saw him. I can't do anything though.'_ I told her.

'_What about portals?'_

My eyes widened. _'Stella, you're a genius! I love you so much!' _

'_I know that Mommy, I love you too.'_

I went to use a portal, but it was failing like Sora's grades. "No, I need to get out of here." I told myself forcing myself to make a portal. When it was just big enough I went through. I was now in the room where I was heading after my fight with Larxene.

'_MOMMY!'_ I heard Stella mentally yell before tackling me with a hug.

I bit my lip when she hit my stomach. "Hi Stella." I said painfully as she somehow knocked me down on the ground.

She lifted her head up and looked around. _'Where's Daddy?'_

"He's with the bad people right now, but don't worry, he'll be okay. I know he will."

'_But isn't he all bad guy mode right now?'_

"Yes, but he fights through everything, and I know he will fight this." I said as I stood up.

'_But I thought as long as he was there, then the other guy would make sure you were safe?'_

I sighed. I had no response. Did I really lose Devain?

'_Don't think like that, Mommy. Daddy would do anything for you.'_

"Stay here." I told her and walked to the door. I grabbed my card to Wonderland and held it up.

She plopped down. _'Why does everyone say that?'_

I rolled my eyes. "Fine! Come on!"

'_Yay!'_ She jumped up onto my back.

We walked through the now opened door to Wonderland. I felt a card appear in my hand and started looking for the door. I ran by all the Heartless that tried to attack me. My only intrences was to get through all of this and somehow save Devain.

When I reached the door I held up the card and walked in. I was now in the courtroom where Alice's trial was. I saw the white rabbit run up the steps and sound his horn. Devain, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were with me too.

"The trial." Sora said.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Alice! Do you understand the charges against you?" The rabbit asked.

"Of course not!I've done nothing wrong!"

"Feigning ignorance, dear?" The queen asked. "You are charged with aiding the creatures called Heartless who threaten my kingdom!"

"Fiddlesticks! Where's the evidence?"

"The evidence is… I forgot! That's the evidence! Because you, Alice, are the one who stole my memory!"

"We can't rid the kingdom of Heartless until we get Her Majesty's memory back. This is a serious crime." The rabbit said.

"This is so unfair! So what if you're a queen! Don't blame me just because you can't remember things!" Alice protested.

"Such insolence! You're talking to the Queen of Hearts!" The queen shouted.

"More like Queen of Bitchness!" I shouted back at the queen. I covered where Stella's ears would be.

'_I can still hear you.' _Stella told me.

"Alice didn't steal your memory!" I shouted at the Queen as I approached her.

"What is the meaning of this?" The queen asked.

"I'm telling you the truth. Even if Alice did you have no proof."

"So, are you saying that you know who the real culprit is?"

"Well, I… Uh…"

"Tell me or it's off with all of your heads!"

I paused trying to think. I couldn't blame it on the Heartless. I looked at Donald. "The duck stole your memory!"

"WHAT!? NO I DIDN'T!" Donald screamed.

I looked at Donald. "Just go along with it." I whispered to him.

"Cards!" The queen shouted. "Seize it at once!"

The cards rushed at us, but Devain, Sora, Goofy, Donald and I fought them off.  
I summoned my Keyblade and attacked the cards. After the first round was defeated a second round came, and then a third. When the cards were defeated I looked at the queen.

"Where's Alice?" Donald asked.

"Looks like she escaped." Goofy said.

"Perhaps she did, but you won't!" The queen shouted.

"I think we've been trumped!" Donald shouted.

"Run!" Devain shouted.

The room started to fade and I was back at the room I was just in before I went to the courtroom. A card appeared in my hand. I ran through a few more room and ended up in the woods. Alice was there just standing. She turned and faced me when I got close.

"Alice, you're okay, right?" I asked.

"I'm alright. I don't mean to be ungrateful but… was that true, what you said? " She asked.

I shook my head. "No. Donald didn't do it."

Alice smiled. "Well, whatever made you do it, thank you." She said.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a head appear.

"It's the Cheshire Cat!" Alice exclaimed.

"Feeling better after that mad dash, are we? Oh, but you're not out of the woods yet!" He said then disappeared.  
"Okay… What the hell does that mean?" I asked.

"The queen's a stickler for justice! She won't forget till she remembers!" The Cheshire Cat said and appeared behind us. "She won't stop hounding you till you get her memory back! Did she forget because she remembers? Does she remember that she forgot? Doesn't matter, I suppose."

"I don't know, but I think it would probably be better to just stay away from her." I said.

"But what about Alice?" Juminy asked as he jumped out of Sora's hood. "If the queen catcher, well you know the rest."

"Fine. We'll figure something out." I said and crossed my arms over my chest. The room started to fade again and I was back to running around rooms and trying to find the last door.

When I found the room I was in the room with the talking doorknob.

"Lets look around." Alice said and started to walk around the room. "Oh dear!" She shouted a few seconds later.

I looked over at where Alice went and saw the queen with some of her cards.

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, did you?" She asked. "Game's up, scoundrels! For stealing my memory, I sentence you to… I sentence you too...I… sentence...Oh? What's going on? Where am I?"

"Huh?" I heard Donald ask.

"What in the world am I doing? Confound it, I can't remember!"

"What's wrong with here?" Sora asked.

"Maybe someone swiped her memory again." Goofy said.

I looked at Goofy, but not for long because I heard a giant thud. I turned to see the Heartless that we fought the first time we came here, but I couldn't remember how we defeated it, or what it was weak against.

I summoned my Keyblade and just started swinging at it. Its batons were on fire, but I didn't light them, and no one else did either. I swung and jumped over or out of the way of the batons. It tried to swing one at me. I swung my Keyblade at its hand and the batond went flying to the Heartless face. The Heartless fell on the ground and I rushed at it. With Devain and Sora's little help it was defeated in a matter of minutes.

"You there! All of you! What is the meaning of this? Where did that creature come from?"

"How should WE know?" Sora asked..

"So, you refuse to answer? You're hiding something! They are plotting against me. seexe them at once!"

"Please, Your Majesty, wait!" I said.

"It was you who commanded us to destroy those creatures." Alice said. "Your Majesty, in her prudence, didn't completely trust us at first. An so, at Your Majesty's command, we fought them to prove ourselves. Isn't that right Rosalinda?" Alice asked.

"Yes!" I said smiling not catching on.

"I… I told you to do that?" The queen asked.

"Yes Your Majesty, don't you remember?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I never forget anything. Of course I gave the command. You did splendidly."

'_Holy crap! We got a compliment for the royal bitch! I'll never forget this.' _I thought with a smirk.

The queen walked away.

"Way to improvise Alice." I said smiling.

"Thanks."

I looked at Devain and the others. "See you guys at the next world." I said as the room started to fade.

Now I was at what I was calling my victory room, because this was always a room I want to when I was done the world. I looked at Stella who looked confused.

"What's wrong Stella?"

'_What just happened?'_

"You went with me through my memory." I said smiling.

'_But why did the Queen lady believe the blond girl?'_

"I'm not 100% sure, but I think it has something to do with who is close to me, and who's not. I still don't quite understand myself to be honest."

'_Okay, but when are you gonna help Daddy?'_

"In the next room we go to." I told her as we walked out of Wonderland.

I was in the next room and I saw Devain waiting in the middle of the room. His back was to me.

"Took you long enough." He said and turned toward me.

"Hey! I'm not that slow!"

"You are compared to everyone else." He told me.

"Says who?"

He smirked. "Says the best fighter in the castle."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on Devain. Lets just go find the others." I said as I grabbed his hand and started to head to the stairs.

He pulled his hand from my grip. "How will you find them if you aren't going to make it to the next floor?"

I rolled my eyes again and faced him. "Devain, come on. This is no time for games. We're going to find the others and figure out a way for you to not be Vexen's puppet."

"What games?" He asked and summoned his Keyblade.

"I won't fight you." I told him.

"Than this'll be easy." He said and swung at me.

I jumped out of the way and summoned my Keyblade. "Fine." I looked at Stella quickly. "Go to the next floor, now!" I told her and she ran without any questions. I looked at Devain again.

Devain rushed at me again. I put my Keyblade up so I could block him. I somehow managed to push him back. "Why are you fighting me?" He didn't answer and kept slashing at me.

I kept blocking, but wasn't able to land any hits. He was easily blocking my attacks and countering me. He slashed at my arm that my scar was on and reopened some of it. The blood was running down my arm and very slowly healing. I swung at him again and he blocked me yet again. I went to try to fool him with my attacks, but he ended up disarming me like always.

He put the end of his Keyblade under my neck. "And you think I'm just a puppet."

I sighed and tried to back away.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you." He told me.

"Why would that be?"

A portal opened behind him and he stepped through it. I felt his hand grab the back of my neck. "This is why." He whispered into my ear.

I jumped a little and made a small yelp when his hand touched my neck.

"Now wherever you go, you won't be able to get away."

I tried to face him and look him in the eyes. "Devain… Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm finally free. Free of all the rights and wrongs of everywhere. I do whatever I want now."

I said nothing, but looked at him shocked. _'This can't be the Devain I fell in love with… What's happened to him if this really is him?' _

"Nothing to say?" He asked me.

I shook my head. I think I was probably in too much of a shock to process what was going on.

"I don't plan on letting Vexen 'dispose' of me. When he tries, I'll take him down instead."

Now that last part sounded like the Devain I knew, but something still wasn't right. I don't know why, but I was starting to back away again, but I also just wanted to be near him.

He smirked. "Afraid of me? I don't blame you, I'm stronger than you could ever be."

I forced myself to stop backing away from him and I walked up to him. I was so close to just hugging him and start crying. My head was spinning, and I was completely confused.

"Don't even try it, he's gone and there's nothing you could do to get him back."

I sighed and walked over to the wall and leaned on it. Before I knew it I was sitting on the ground. "What do you want?" I asked.

He walked over and pulled me up by my hair. "I need you to come with me." He said.

"Fine, fine. I'll do whatever you need." I told him as I tried to get him to let go of my hair.

He summoned a portal and led me through, still holding onto my hair. We were back in the science lab place.

"Let go of me." I told Devain still trying to get him to let go of my hair.

He let go. "Next time you try to escape, I won't be so generous." He walked out.

I rubbed my head where he had a hold of my hair. I then gripped my arm at where he reopened my scar. It was still healing, but it was taking forever.

Vexen walked in the door.

"Vexen…" I said quietly as he walked back in. My heart was pounding. I was scared of everything that was happening and I just kept getting worse by the second.

"Hello, Rosalinda. Welcome back." He said.

I tried to get a much space between us as possible. I ran into a few tables a few times in the process. "Please don't hurt me." I begged. _'Why the hell am I becoming so scared?!' _

He smiled. "I'm unsure if a Heartless can feel pain."

"I can!" I said nervously still trying to create some more space between us.

"We shall see." He said and put on a mask.

I gulped and tried to make a portal, but was failing, so I did the next best stupid thing I could think of. I summoned my Keyblade.

Vexen knocked on the wall behind him twice and something started spraying from the corners of the ceiling. I was starting to get sleepy and it was only a few seconds before I was knocked out.

**Hey guys, so I might not be posting new chapters for a while. I'll post up to chapter 9 for this story, and up to chapter 10 for Nobody's Journey, because they are the ones I have completed before I posted this chapter. So please don't freak out when and if I'm suddenly not posting. I may get write some of the other chapters here and there, but it will take me a lot longer. If you're wondering what is going to make me slow down on the chapters it school. I have two summer reading projects to do (One for English, and one for history), and I'm only half way done my English book and project, and I haven't started my history one yet. Please do not suggest for me to read both books, because I can't, I never could. I always end up forgetting what happened in the other book if I do that. Hope you all understand, and thank you. **


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up in the science lab on a cold metal table. I had bandages all over my arms. I tried to sit up but instantly felt dizzy so I laid back down putting a hand to my head.

"Your blood samples seem very similar to one of my associates." I heard Vexen say to my right.

I looked at him confused. "What?... Wait? You took blood from me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To understand how you are a Heartless and can wield a Keyblade."

"I already told you why." I said trying to sit up again, but felt dizzy once again, so I laid back down.

"It seems you misunderstand, I want to see why one can wield a Keyblade to begin with."

I sighed and stared at the ceiling. "Why am I so special to everyone?" I asked myself quietly. "Why me of all… Heartless?" I asked even quieter.

"Oh, I have taken blood samples from more than just you, for this research."

I looked at him hoping he would explain more.

"Some of my comrades wield Keyblades, I have taken blood samples from them and Devain." He told me.

I sighed again. "Welcome to hell." I whispered to myself knowing that I was probably going to get stuck with more needles, and a lot of them.

"I think you will find it quite pleasant here actually."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why would that be?"

"If you don't attempt to escape again, no one will harm you, you will get three meals a day, and you may do whatever you wish in the room you are confined to that day."

I sighed, but I knew I needed to get out of here and somehow get Devain back to normal, and find the others.

"If you DO attempt to escape again, you will be beaten to a pulp before you are brought back."

"I'd rather take my chances." I said so quietly hoping Vexen would not hear me.

"No, you wouldn't." He said.

"I would, because I want to find my friends, get home, figure out how to go back to normal, and now help Devain so that he's no longer you puppet."

"Devain is the one who would bring you back after beating you. That boy is acting rather strange of late."

"What do you mean?"

"For some reason he is now referring to himself as a different name, and when he doesn't he is speaking in the third person. Quite strange."

I sat up immediately ignoring the fact if I was dizzy or not. I think I knew what was happening, but I wasn't 100% sure.

"You're still going to feel lightheaded, lay back down."

"Where's Devain?" I asked completely ignoring what he said before.

"Why would I tell you that?"

"I think I know what's going on with him."

"Well then, I'm all ears."

"Before we came to this castle…" I stopped when I realized I what I was going to tell Vexen.

"What happened 'before you came to this castle'?"

I shook my head and refused to tell him. "Just tell me where the hell he is."

"Tell me what happened, and I'll consider it."

"Fine… Before we all came here we battled a man who was a Heartless like me named Ansem. He took control over both of us and Devain looked like he does now when he was controlled. He was arguing with someone and was able to gain control over himself again after he kept fighting whoever or whatever it was."

"Intriguing. I will have to research this further."

I mentally facepalmed myself for what I just did. "So where is he?"

"I said that I'd consider telling you. I've considered it and I will not."

I summoned my Keyblade and put it to his throat. "Tell me, or I'll kill you."

A portal opened behind me and an arm wrapped around my throat and a hand grabbed my Keyblade arm. "I wouldn't suggest it." I heard Devain's voice say behind me. It was… distorted somehow.

I dropped my Keyblade and tried to make Devain let go of me. "Let… go whoever… you… are!" I choked out.

"Promise to play nice and I will."

"You… should know… that… I've never… played… nice."

The arm around my neck tightened its grip. "Than I guess you're not getting out."

I struggled for air and I knew I was going to back out soon if I didn't agree. "Fine… Fine!"

He let go of me. "You gonna be nice or do I have to stay here and baby sit you?"

I gasped for air when he let go and rubbed my throat. "I'll play nice." I told him.

"Good." He said and walked through a portal behind me.

"You see why I left you unrestrained?" Vexen asked me.

I nodded, a little scared again, but I didn't want it to show.

Vexen reached into his pocket and pulled out the mask from before. He put it on and knocked on the wall again. The same spray came from the corners of the ceiling and I was out cold again.

_**Four Hours Later**_

I woke up a few hours later still in the lab. "What the hell Vexen?" I asked not even trying to get up this time.

"I needed a broader sample to help discern what genetic trait is required to wield."

I facepalmed. "There is none. There's a thing called a Keyblade ceremony where a Keyblade Master passes on the ability to wield to someone who does not have a Keyblade. It's not genetics."

"There must be something that occurs in that ceremony to both individuals. I will find this later." He said and summoned a portal. He walked out and shut the portal behind him.

I sat up a few minutes later and summoned a portal of my own and ran through it. I was now standing at a door. Stella was sitting on the stairs with a card in her hand. I took the card from her and opened the door.

'_I was looking at that!'_

"Sorry! Come on!" I said and grabbed her pulling her into Olympus Coliseum.

'_This is the place that was on the card!'_

"Yeah. It's one of my memories." I looked around and saw Cloud standing around like he was when I first got here. "Cloud!" I shouted and ran to him, but fell not long after I started to go towards him. I stood up and started to walk over to him again. "Cloud!" I shouted again. "Cloud Strife!"

He looked over at me. "And you are…?"

"Rosalinda Leonhart. I know you're going to tell me she died and stuff, but I'm here."

"Well she did, and then she came back here and I fought her and what's-his-face and how do I know this?"

"You're a part of my memories all of this is fakeish." I told him.

"Okay then."

I felt a card appear in my hand. "Well. Gotta run. See you in to tournament!" I shouted as I ran to find the door I was looking for, falling several times along the way. When I was about to reach the door I needed I leaned on the wall and then sat for a while.

'_What's wrong Mommy?'_

"I don't have time to explain." I said as I got back up. "Come on." I said and opened the door.

I saw Phil preparing for the games. "Phil!" I shouted.

"Go away girly, I'm busy preparing for the gaaaaaames."

"I know you are. Where's Herc?" I asked.

"He's off visiting his father on Mt. Olympus."

I sighed. "Okay. Sign me up for the games in the mean time." I told him.

"These games are only for certified heroes and heroines." Phil said and looked at me. "But I could be tempted."

"Tempted how?" I asked.

He breathed on his hand and slicked back what little hair he had on his head.

I rolled my eyes. "Ain't gonna work Phil." I told him crossing my arms.

"Than I guess you're not getting into the game."

"Oh well…" I said and started to head out.

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm not sure how you could resist me, but I'll let you in, on one condition."

"I'm listening…" I said with my back to him still. "And stop staring at my ass."

"Could you just look this way and shake your upper body."

I turned around, but slapped him across the face.

"Ow! Listen, either do that, or no entry."

I turned around and started to walk out again.

"You really can't swallow your pride long enough to get into the best fighting tournament in the galaxy?"

"Nope!" I said and continued to walk away. "I'm not a slut who will do whatever someone asks them to do."

"Geeze… Not even a quick shake?"

I summoned my Keyblade and put it to his neck.

"I'll take that as a no." He put his index finger on my Keyblade and slowly started to push it away.

"Damn right it's a no." I told him and faced him. "So, wanna let me enter before you get hurt?"

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll let you in."

I smirked. "Thank you." The room started to fade and I was in one of the many rooms and the next card appeared in my hand. I quickly found the next door.

'_Why was that furry man asking you to shake?'_

"I'll tell you when you're older." I opened the door and headed in.

'_But I wanna know nooooow.' _She whined.

"There are a lot of things that I want, and I don't get many of them."  
We we in the battle arena and Cloud was standing around waiting to fight his opponent.

"Stella, go sit in the bleachers." I told her as I walked to Cloud.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you're still my opponent."

"Well duh. It's kind of a part of my memories, so I kind of have to." I shivered remembering what happened in the fight.

"You're going to be fine."

"I know." I said quietly not hearing Phil say we could start the fight.

Cloud rushed at me and slashed down. He got me and I then tried to get out of the way and tried to slash at him a few times. He held up his giant sword to block my strikes. He swung at me and sent my flying into one of the four columns.

"Watch the columns! They're for decoration!" Phil shouted.

I tried to stand up as Cloud approached me. I looked up as his Buster sword was put to my neck.

"Little different?"

I nodded. "I'm not done yet though!" I said and slashed at his ankles.

He fell and dropped his sword. He tried to jump up quickly, but I just held my Keyblade where he'd come up. He his face on it.

"Now it's not so different." I told him.

"Your friend's not here."

"So, I can fight by myself."

"Can't think very well, though." He spun his leg around making me fall. He grabbed his Buster sword, stood up and we were back in the same positions as earlier.

I tried to kick his nuts, but he moved out of the way and still had his sword to my neck.

"Nice try, but no cigar."

I sighed knowing I was probably defeated and went to stand back up.

"Say uncle."

"Fine… uncle." I said.

"We have a winner!" Phil said. He mumbled something under his breath I couldn't hear.

"What was that?" I asked Phil. "I couldn't hear that last part."

"Nothing."

I sighed and the room started to fade. I was in the 'victory room' and Stella was standing next to me.

"Come on." I told her and headed out waiting to go through my next memory.

Devain was standing there, waiting for me. "You didn't learn from last time, did you?" He asked angrily.

"I did." I told him and started to run by him up the stairs.

He held out his arm as I ran by and I ran right into it. "Obviously, you didn't." He said. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and held me up. "I'm not Devain. I don't care if you get hurt or even fucking die. You're an annoyance that needs to be dealt with." He threw me into one of the walls.

I heard a small crack as my arm hit the wall first. I sat on the ground forcing myself to stand up, but failed. "I know you are not my Devain, but I know he's still there." I told him. "Do what you wish to hurt me, but I know Devain will fight through."

"I wouldn't be too sure if I were you." He said and summoned a Keyblade, but it wasn't Devain's. The Void Gear's teeth and head are black with a red outline and possesses a round, cog-like shape. The handle is red and the guard has the same coloration and cog-like shape as the teeth. The shaft is predominantly colored in shades of grey and sports a copper-colored gear in the center, with two intersecting, black chains wrapped around it. Two more chains are wrapped around the base of the shaft in a similar fashion. It also has two light blue eyes with slit pupils; one located in the head of the blade and one embedded in the hilt. Its Keychain is comprised of three small, copper gears and ends in a charm resembling two halves of a gear arranged in an S-shape.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am the purest darkness." He said, and rushed forward and slashed at me.

I rolled out of the way barely and summoned my Keyblade. I forced myself to stand. "Stella, go!" I shouted and she ran up the stairs. "I don't know who you are, but I will fight you and save Devain." I said as I went to go and attack him. He parried easily and slashed at my stomach. I fell to the ground with blood running out like a river. I tried to use my Keyblade to help me up, but Not-Devain slammed his Keyblade's handguard into the back of my head. I was knocked out unconscious again.


	6. Chapter 6

I didn't even bother to look around when I woke up. I knew I was in the science lab. Why wouldn't I be? I did open my eyes to see if anyone was in the room. I saw someone who looked like Not-Devain, but I couldn't tell because he was wearing a completely blacked out helmet that formed a dome over his whole head. He was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. I sighed and looked at the ceiling. _'Just give up… There's nothing you can do.' _I heard a voice tell me. I knew it was my conscious, but I ignored it.

I went to sit up, but I was so stiff, and dizzy. I saw that my stomach was wrapped up in a shit load of bandages. I laid back down and closed my eyes. There was nothing else I could do.

"Vexen, she's up." Not-Devain's voice said from the guy leaning on the wall.

"Why?" I asked myself quietly. My voice sounded scratchy as if I hadn't had anything to drink in days.

"It was a hassle for Vexen, putting those bandages on. Gave me hell for making you bleed so much."

I smirked a little. "Then maybe you shouldn't have slashed at my stomach."

"Maybe you shouldn't have gotten stabbed there eight times at once."  
"Not my fault that Larxene or whatever her name is attacked me!" I shouted and grabbed my stomach because of the pain.

"After you made her angry, you completely ignored it and just continued to annoy her. Still think it's not your fault?"

I rolled my eyes and said nothing.

A panel slid open and Vexen walked in. "It seems that you are healing well."

"That's only because one of the powers I have as a Heartless. It's some kind of healing ability."

"I must see if it is possible to splice that into my comrades and I, but that is not why I am here."

"I know, you want to do more experiments on me and get as much data as possible." I said rolling my eyes.

"Not today, you lost too much blood because SOMEONE felt the need to almost murder you."

"Like I told her, I don't care if she dies or not." Not-Devain said.

I sighed and closed my eyes hoping to be able to rest somehow. "This will be pure hell." I mumbled quietly to myself.

"I am here to tell you that your 'Devain' seems to have been overtaken by whoever this new persona is." Vexen said.

"I already told you my name." Not-Devain said.

I let several tears escape, but no noise came from me. _'Why?!' _I asked myself.

"Yes, it was something with a 'V'... Ventus?"

"No, that's the other guy."

"V, v, v…"

"Vanitas?" I asked just trying to take a lucky guess.

He chuckled. "Nice job."

I was surprised that I got it right. I'm normally not good at guessing games.

"You haven't heard his name yet, how would you know it?"

"Read it in a history book." I told him.

"No history book has knowledge of the conflict that this young man was a part of."

"When you know a wizard, it's possible." I said with my eyes still shut.

"It is not, all participants of the conflict were unable to tell anyone after it had ended."

"Somehow it was in the book and I remember reading a little of it." I said.

"That does not make any logical sense!" Vexen said. "From what this young man has told me, all of the combatants were permanently incapacitated."

I shrugged and didn't say anything else after that.

"The mouse I don't know about." Vanitas said.

"Mouse?" I asked.

"Yes, a humanoid mouse."

I sighed not wanting to ask any more questions. I just wanted to rest and get ready to escape again.

"If you try to escape again, I have authorized Vanitas to kill you, only if necessary." Vexen said.

"Dammit." I mumbled.

"If that is all, we will take our leave." Vexen said and walked towards where the panel was. It opened again and both him and Vanitas walked out.

I sat up tempted to leave. I tried to stand, but fell instantly. I was so weak, and had no way out of this living hell. I sat on the ground for what seemed like forever thinking of what to do, and if I should finally give up.

The panel opened again and Stella was standing there. _'Hi, Mommy.'_ She waved at me.

A small smile appeared on my face. "Hey Stella. How did you find me?"

'_I followed Daddy. He carried you down here.'_

I sighed and looked away from her. "That's not Daddy." I told her.

'_What do you mean? It looked like Daddy.'_

"Daddy was taken over by someone named Vanitas, and he now has no control. H- he's gone…" I said as a tear escaped.

'_What?'_

"I don't understand this all myself. I know he was possessed, but now he's gone… forever." I let more tears escape.

'_No, no. This isn't happening.'_

I sighed and didn't know what to say. I tried to stand again, but fell again.

Stella was crying really hard. I crawled my way over to her and hugged her, trying to calm her down.

'_What happened, Mommy? Why did Daddy turn into a bad man?'_

"He was trying to keep me safe." I told her and held her closer to me.

'_But he isn't any more, so shouldn't he be going back to Daddy?'_

"You would think, but he is being controlled. If you are controlled you can't choose to do what you want."

'_But the tall guy said that he'd make sure you were safe, if he isn't doing that, shouldn't Daddy be free?'_

"Then when Vexen gets back I'll ask him."

'_The door's open, so why not go and ask him now?'_

"I'm too weak. I can't walk at all."

'_Then I'll go ask him.' _Stella started to stroll off.

"Be careful, Stella." I told her as I was forcing myself back onto the table.

When I was finally back on the table I fell asleep for who knows how long.

_**Several Hours Later**_

I woke up still in the lab with Stella staring at me. I jumped when I first saw her. It was like one of those moments when you wake up and your dog or cat's face is a inch or two away from yours.

'_Hi, Mommy.'_

"Hi, Stella." I said and rubbed my forehead. "What's up?"

'_I found the guy but he wasn't willing to cooperate.' _Stella said trying to do a gangster voice.

"Stella, what are you talking about?" I asked still not thinking clearly.

'_I found him but he wouldn't tell me anything or free Daddy.' _

"Oh…" I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "I knew he wouldn't tell you anything or free Daddy." I mumbled as I tried to fall back asleep.

'_But you can! I peeped in his mind and it seemed like you could help Daddy get free!'_

"I'm not taking anymore chances." I told her as I closed my eyes. "I don't feel like nearly meeting death again."

'_So…what? Are we just going to sit here?'_

"I don't know about you, but I'm gonna sleep."

'_Do you even want to know how to save Daddy?!'_

"Yes, but not right now, Stella. I need sleep."

'_You just slept for eleven-teen hours!'_

"I think you mean eleven."

'_No I don't, I mean eleven-teen. Now do you want to know how to save Daddy?!'_

"Yes."

'_It's like a fairy tale!'_

I facepalmed myself. "Stella… They are fairy tales for a reason. They aren't real."

'_But this will help! You just have to make him remember who he is!'_

I sighed. "How though?"

'_You have to make Vanitas start to doubt himself and then when he's almost gone, you and Daddy have to kiss! See, I told you it was like a fairy tale.'_

'_She honestly must still be a child.' _I thought with a smirk.

'_I probably am.' _Stella said in my head.

I smirked and sat up. I knew I wasn't back to normal, but I was damn near close. I stood up, but I was a little shaky at first. I started to walk around the room to make sure I was okay.

"Where do you think you're going?" I heard Vexen asked.

"Nowhere." I told him as I continued to walk around but had to lean on the walls or tables a few times.

"And I see this little pest has found you." He said looking at Stella.

'_Who are you calling a pest, you big meanie butt!'_

"Stella, let me handle this."

'_No, Mommy, I got this.'_

Vexen looked at me and cocked his head. "'Mommy'?"

"Long story that makes no sense." I told him and sighed.

"I...see."

'_Let me at him!' _I heard Stella shout as she leaped at Vexen with her claws swinging around.

"Stella!" I shouted and grabbed her in mid air.

She kept slashing the air in Vexen's direction and trying to get free. _'Let me go, Mommy! I'm going to help Daddy!'_

"Stella Leonhart!" I shouted and mentally facepalmed myself for saying my last name when I was saying her name.

'_I have a last name? Yaaaaaaaay!'_

"Oh god. What have I done?" I asked.

"You've wasted your time." Vexen said.

"Waisted what time? I'm stuck here, aren't I?"

"Not forever." Vexen said. "I requested that you be moved so that I may be able to study you properly, and I am waiting for a reply."

"Oh joy." I said sarcastically.

"That is all that I wish to tell you." Vexen said and exited the room.

'_Yeah! You better run!'_

I nodded and summoned a portal and ran like hell.

"Did you happen to see a blue card like before?" I asked Stella.

'_Yeah, Daddy dropped one earlier.'_

"Can I have it please?"

'_Sure' _She said and handed it to me.

It was a card to Agrabah.  
"Oh joy…" I said and opened the door. "This place will be hot just to let you know." I told her before entering.

_**Half an Hour Later**_

"Hate… Agrabah." I said as I wiped the sweat away from my face as we were back in the white rooms.

"You're not the only one." I heard a voice say. I looked around and saw a boy that was my height with EXTREMELY long silver bangs hanging over his right eye, and he was in the same outfit as everyone else I've met in this damn castle. He looked so familiar.

"Ienzo?" I asked as I approached the boy.

"I don't know who you're talking about." He told me.

"Sorry." I said then looked away. "Please don't tell me you want to hurt me like the other people wearing the same outfit did."

"No, I don't. But I know someone who might." A portal opened next to him and Vanitas stepped out.

I gulped and backed away a little and summoned my Keyblade.

"Are you scared of me?" Vanitas asked.

I refused to answer and tightened my grip on my Keyblade.

He noticed and smirked. "Good, you should be." He sprinted at me and I opened up a portal to Atlantica right in front of him. He flew through and now it was just me and Bangs-boy.

"Please. Just give me my card." I told him.

"Fine, run. But you'll never be able to hide." He threw a blue card at me and it landed face down at my feet.

I picked up the card and saw it was Halloween Town. I shivered. "Stella, you may wanna stay here." I told her. "Or somehow get to the next floor."

'_No, I'm coming with you.'_

"No you aren't Stella." I said and summoned a portal for her to walk through.

'_Yes I is.'_

"Stella. You listen to me right now or you are grounded."

'_How would you ground me?'_

"I'll make you go to the real Agrabah for a week."

'_It's not too bad there.'_

"Then I'll send you to Atlantica."

'_I'LL DROWN!'_

I smirked. "Then don't make me ground you."

'_I DON'T WANT TO DIE!'_

"Then go through the portal."

'_BUT I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU EITHER!'_

I bit my lip. "Fine, but you have to forgive me for what happens here. Okay?"

'_Why? What happens?'_

"I did a lot of bad things I'm not happy about. I hurt the ones close to me."

'_You hurt Daddy?! What were you two doing?!'_

"You've been hanging around Sora a lot, haven't you?"

'_No...'_

"Don't lie."

'_Maybe-yes.'_

"Don't hang out with him so much." I told her and entered Halloween Town.


	7. Chapter 7

I walked into Halloween Town with Stella sitting on my shoulder. I sighed not wanting to remember or relive any of this. I walked around and felt my first card appear in my hand.

"This will be so fun." I mumbled sarcastically.

'_This place looks cool!'_

I couldn't help but smile. "I knew you would say that." I said as I walked around fighting Heartless and looked for the door. "Stella, if you see a door with a gold crown on it, let me know."

'_You mean like that one?' _She pointed behind me.

I looked to where she was pointing. "Yeah, just like that one." I said and walked over to it. "Stella, stay right here, okay?"

'_Why?' _She cocked her head to the side.

"I don't want you to see what I did when I left you all." I told her and opened the door and started to walk through.

I was in Doctor Finkelstein's lab. Devain, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the skeleton were all there.

'_Please, don't try to kill me!' _I thought as I approached them.

"Traitor!" Donald screamed as soon as he saw me.

"Donald, please." I begged.

"We're not going to fall for your tricks!" He shouted at me.

'_I'm not going to fight them. I can't!' _I thought as Donald shot fire at me.

"Donald, you don't stand a chance." I heard Devain say.

"Thanks Devain." I said with a smile as I walked over to them. "I knew you guys wouldn't try to kill me." I said as I went to lean on Devain's shoulder.

"But I do." Devain said and summoned his Keyblade.

I quickly backed away and summoned my Keyblade. "I won't fight you guys!" I told him. "I know how this plays out, and I won't do that again!"

"This'll be easy." Devain said and rushed at me.

I felt a strong pain shoot through my head and I started to attack Devain. "No. No!" I shouted at myself.

"Begging's not going to help."

'_No! I will not be controlled again!' _I thought and dropped my Keyblade and fell to my knees with my hands on the side of my head.

"What?" Devain asked. "I barely hit her."

"Let me at her!" Sora shouted.

"Hold on, something's not right."

Sora stopped dead in his tracks. "What do you mean? She's the enemy now! We have to attack her!"

"She wouldn't have just fallen down like that. Something's wrong."

"Run." I told them.

"Why would we do that? I've got you hopelessly outmatched, and you're outnumbered." Devain said.

"Something trying to control me again!" I said as I felt the sharp pain in my head again. I felt myself reaching for my Keyblade.

Devain kicked away my Keyblade. "Well, you couldn't win."

I stood up and felt my Keyblade appear in my hand. I was somehow controlled again! I rushed at Devain and the others and the fight started to go like last time.

_**20 Minutes Later**_

I backed away from the battle. It went almost exactly the same way as last time. The only difference was that I knocked out Devain instead of poison him.

"This can't be happening!" I shouted as I ran out. I sat on the ground as soon as I got out of there. I felt tears run down my face.

'_Mommy, what happened? Did you and Daddy have big fight or something?'_

"Stella, get out of here now somehow." I told her completely ignoring her question.

'_I can't.'_

I sighed. "Then when we go to different rooms like that keep your distance, okay?"

'_Why? Are they bad rooms?'_

"Very bad." I told he as I got of the ground and felt the next card appear in my hand. I started to walk around in silence, but I kept thinking the whole time about what happened. I stopped in my tracks when I had an idea. I felt Stella run into my leg.

'_Mommy, why'd you stop?'_

"Sorry. I had an idea for the next room that we go into." I told her and started to walk again.

'_Where are we going?'_

"If I remember correctly we are going to run into a monster named Oogie Boogie."

'_The boogeyman is real!?' _Stella shouted and grabbed onto my leg.

"Was. Now he's dead and this one is a fake."

'_I'm not taking any chances.'_

"Don't worry Stella," I said and rested her on my hip, "I'm not gonna let anyone or anything hurt you."

She hugged me. _'Please don't let the boogeyman get me.'_

"I won't let him get you." I said smiling. _'She's so cute! She acts like she actually is my daughter. It's so cute! I love her so much.' _I thought with a smile creeping on my face.

'_I am your daughter, aren't I?'_

I smiled. "As long as I'm alive, you are to me."

She hugged me tighter. _'I love you, Mommy.'_

I hugged her back. "Love you too, Stella." I continued to hold her as I looked for the next door.

When we walked in we were at Oogie's. He had the heart in his hand and he was about ready to swallow it.

"That really a good idea, Oogie?" I asked.

"Of course it is! It will let me control the Heartless!" He threw it up in the air and caught it in his mouth.

'_That guy's creepy.'_

'_Yes he is, but don't worry. When he swallows the heart he can only control two Gargoyle Heartless.' _I thought to her so Oogie would not hear me.

'_He's crazy too.'_

I nodded.

"Oh Heartless!" I heard Oogie shout. Like before only two Gargoyle Heartless appeared. "That's it? Only two?" He asked.

I laughed.

"Ooooh, what are you laughing at!?" Oogie shouted at me.

"Nothing!" I said and stopped laughing. I walked over to where I was standing when Sora and the others came in before, but this time Devain was there too.

"Company." I told Oogie.

"I see that. Welcome all to Oogie Boogie's Wheel of Blades!"

_**One Very Familiar Fight Later**_

Devain and the others won the fight again. The room started to shake like before, but the room faded not long after that.

"Next part should be painless." I said, but I was in the 'Victory Room'. "Nevermind." I said as we left.

"Are you going to try the same trick as last time, or are you going to not be a coward?" I heard Vanitas say.

"Oh! Hi Vanitas! How was Atlantica?"

"Just peachy. Now, are you going to come quietly or do I have to get my hands dirty?"

"I would come quietly, but you should know by now that I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut."

"I mean are you going to put up a fight?"

"Hasn't that been what I've been doing the whole time?" I asked starting to walk around. "Why are you even doing the dirty work for Vexen. You know he'll just end up trying to kill you. You're just a puppet to him."

"I already told you if he tries that, he's the one who's going to die."

"What are you getting out of this though?... Nothing except to basically be a slave."

"I got a body again, that's what I got out of it."

"That means you also have to have the life it came with, and I'm included in that." I said as I leaned on his shoulder.

"Than this guy had a crappy life." He pushed me off of him.

"Life is how you look at it." I told him. "For me this is my living hell, but it's an adventure that I'm glad I got to go on." I stood up and looked at him.

"I didn't ask about your life." Vanitas said.

"I know." I said and began to walk around again. "Why did you choose Devain of all people to control?"

"I was here all along." He tapped where his heart was, if he had one.

"How?" I asked.

"That you should know already."

I shook my head after a few seconds. "Not that I can remember." I told him.

"Well then you will never know."

I sighed, still walking around trying to figure out how to get him to doubt himself.

"What are YOU getting out of this?" He asked me.

"Someone to talk to that is starting to interest me." I told him.

"Is that it? You've lost and lost from the moment you began this journey, come with us and you'll finally gain."

"I didn't lose anything. Yeah stuff may be gone, but I didn't lose it. I can't live in the past forever, so I like to run and find the adventure. Not sit around and do nothing." I said.

'_What's going on?'_

'_Trying to distract him hoping it will let his guard down then hoping I can get him to doubt himself.' _I told Stella through thoughts.

"Try to talk to your pet?" He asked. I could almost hear him smirking.

"What are you talking about?"

"You stayed quiet for longer than any other time I've seen you."

"I was waiting for you to say something."

"Well, you're trying to bullshit me."

"I am not. I wouldn't try, because I'm terrible at it."

"I've been here the whole time, remember? I think I might know you better than you know yourself."

"Then tell me what you think you know." I told him.

"You and that thing can speak through telepathy, that's what you were just doing."

"I can, but I was not." I told him.

"Sure you weren't."

"I was not. Honestly." I said as I started to head up the stairs.

A portal formed in front of them. "You aren't going anywhere." Vanitas said.

"Just wanted to walk around." I told him.

"Really? All by yourself?"

"If you wanted to join me you could." I said smiling.

"I was hoping you'd stay."

"Why?" I asked leaning on the wall.

He took off his helmet…mask…thing. "You still know this face, and my side needs you on it."

"So?" I asked.

He smiled. "You could see him every day, every night, any time you wish. If you just came with us."

"He wouldn't be the one I know and love though." I told Vanitas.

The smile turned into a face of anger. "There's no pleasing you, is there?"

"Takes a while for me to be pleased. I can be very fussy at times."

He walked closer to me and I pressed myself up against the wall. He held my arm gently and traced my jawline with his finger. "I can give you more than he ever could."

I shivered a little as he touched some of the nerves. "Like?"

"I could give you power like you've never seen, help you to achieve any dream, together we would be unstoppable."

"Power does nothing but drive people insane. I've lost all of my dreams, so there is nothing to achieve."

"And who took those dreams? He did."

"The moment I stepped into the castle I lost my dreams."

"I can help you get them back."

"I would need _my _Devain back. The real one."

"I am the real one." He said.

"Then if you are why would you hurt the one you love? You aren't really controlled, so why?"

"I'm not. I…" He backed up. "wouldn't."

"You did hurt me though. Physically and emotionally."

"No, that…can't be right."

"You did. You hurt me when you slashed at my stomach, now leaving me with what will probably be a giant scar for the rest of my life."

"I couldn't've." He put his hands on the sides of his head and fell to his knees. "Why don't I remember any of this?"

"Guilt maybe?" I asked and walked towards him.

"I…no…I don't…understand."

"What is there to understand. I'm just telling you everything that happened. The one who was closest to you was hurt beyond belief."

"No, no, no!" He shook his head back and forth wildly. "What's going on with my head? Why can't I remember anything?"

I shrugged. "To lose is to find and to find is to lose. That's the rule of Castle Oblivion."

"But…I haven't found anything." He looked at me, terrified. "What's happening to me?"

"You're losing. You'll probably find later."

"I-I don't…what's going on? Who are you?"

"I am Rosalinda, Devain's light, and girlfriend."

"But, who's Devain? Where are we?"

I leaned down and kissed him.

'_YES! NOW EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!' _I heard Stella shout.

"Devain?" I asked quietly as I pulled away.

"Rose?" He asked. "How did I get here?"

"Devain!" I shouted then hugged him and kissed him again.

'_Mommy! That's gross, stop it!'_

I pulled away smiling. "It's really you." I said and saw that his clothes were going back to normal.

"W-what happened?" Devain asked. "The last thing I remember is me beating the Trick Master again."

"I don't know what happened at the very beginning, but this guy named Vexen was trying to use you. This guy named Vanitas took over you and was doing whatever Vexen wanted. Stella found out how to make it that you would have control again and that's what happened!" I hugged him again. "I missed you so much!"

'_DADDY!' _Stella shouted so we could both hear her. She ran to us and joined in on the hug.

"Oh…well what exactly did you need to do?"

"I needed to make Vanitas doubt himself, and then I had to kiss you when he did. Stella read Vexen's mind and told me."

'_Yep! Just like in fairy tales!' _Stella added.

He grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Come on. Let's get through this castle and find our friends." I said and grabbed Devain's hand and led him to the stairs.

"What world are we going to?"

I shrugged. "Whatever the people in the back coats give me."

"I don't like those people." Devain said.

"Neither do I. Oh and we might have a little bit of an issue with Stella." I whispered.

"Which would be?"

"Well… You see… I kind of accidentally gave Stella a last name."

"How?"

"Well, Stella was going to attack Vexen and I stopped her and she wouldn't listen to me, so I yelled her name and then I yelled it again just adding Leonhart after that." I smiled innocently. "I even accidentally referred to her as my daughter once."

'_But aren't I your guys' daughter?'_

I picked her up off the ground. "To me you are." I told her.

"I think you are." Devain said.

'_Okay, good. I don't wanna be anyone else's daughter. I love you guys to much.' _

I smiled and looked at Devain. I mouthed the words, "What have I gotten us into?"

"Lots of trouble." He said and kissed me. "But I still love you."

'_Eeeew, Daddy! Mommy! Make Daddy stop!'_

I smiled. "I love you too."


	8. Chapter 8

We walked to the top of the stairs and saw a tall man with short brown hair what was either curly or spiky. He was wearing one of the black coats like the others.

"Just give me the card." I told him.

"You'll have to beat me first." The man said.

I rolled my eyes. "First I had to fight Larxene, then fought Vanitas twice, now you. What's with all the fighting?"

"Wait, you fought Vanitas?" Devain asked.

"Oh yeah… I didn't tell you. Well now I have 9 scars on my stomach. 8 from Larxene and the other is from Vanitas."

"Glad he's gone."

I looked at the man. "Do we really have to fight. Axel said that gets you nowhere except to more fights."

"Axel is unreliable." The man said.

I sighed. "Please no fight."

'_Make love, not war!' _I heard Stella shout.

I facepalmed. "Not helping, Stella." I said.

"Don't worry, she doesn't know what 'make love' means." Devain whispered to me.

I smirked. I saw that the man was starting to look impatient.

"Just shut up and fight." He said and pulled a humongous weapon that looked like a sword and an axe had a baby.

Devain and I summoned our Keyblades. Devain rushed at him without a seconds thought. I used a portal and attacked from behind. The man swung at Devain and then at at me.

This battle went on and on for what felt like forever. It was basically just like a sword battle.

The man took a few steps back when he was defeated.

"Can I have my card now?" I asked.

He reached into his pocket and threw the card toward me. "Just go."

I looked down at the card and saw it was Neverland. "Oh joy." I said and went to go open the door.

We all walked in and we were on Hook's ship.

"Just wonderful." I mumbled.

"I am going to regret being here." Devain said.

"Maybe just a little." I felt the card appear in my hand. I put it in my pocket almost immediately. "Not much really happened here for me thought, so as long as you stay with me you should be okay."

"Says the whole reason I got angry and was thrown in the brig." Devain said.

I rolled my eyes and searched for the door.

"Found it!" Devain shouted.

I walked over to him and opened the door. We were on the ship of the deck. Riku was arguing with Sora, and Squall.

"Riku?" I asked.

He quickly turned and smirked. "So you persuaded your stupid boyfriend to come to darkness? Joy!" He said sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

Devain smirked, walked up to him, and punched him in the stomach. "Not quite, ass hole." He summoned his Keyblade and slammed the pommel down on Riku's head.

"Was that necessary?" I asked.

"Yes, yes it was." Devain said smiling.

"He thought you were on our side." I said then sighed.

"Your point?"

"You didn't have to punch him or knock him out!"

"It's a matter of pride."

I rolled my eyes. I looked over at where Sora and Squall were. The trap door that was under them opened and they disappeared.

The room obviously started to fade. The next card appeared in my hand. This time I found the door.

When we entered the room we were in what I assumed was Hook's room. Riku was standing next to the bed where Kairi was.

Devain walked up behind Riku and slammed the side his head into the wall.

"What the hell?!" Riku shouted, his silver hair getting his blood to dye his hair.

Devain picked up Riku by the collar. "Don't try anything on Rose like that again, kay?"

"Try what?" He asked. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"It's for the first time." Devain said and dropped him.

"What first time?! This is the first time, and I didn't do anything to her!"

"How about I jog your memory? The others and I showed up here and a few hours later totaled your shadow copies of us, and Hook."

Riku just stared at him for a few seconds. "I have no clue what you're talking about, but whatever. I'm sorry if I did something to Rosie that bothered you."

Devain grinned. "Not good enough." He slammed the back of Riku's head on the floor.

"Devain!" I shouted and pulled him away from Riku. "I know you want your revenge, but not here and now!"

"Why not here? Whatever happens to this Riku, doesn't happen to the real one."

I sighed and just ignored him and went to check on Riku.

"He deserved it." I heard Devain mumble.

"I don't care if he did or didn't." I told him.

Sora, and Squall were suddenly in the room listening to us.

"You two traitors finished yet?" Sora asked.

"You honestly think I'm a traitor, even after what I did to Riku?"

"Devain! My memory is altered because of you being here. Remember?"

"Well, Sora's being an idiot…as always."

"Hey!" Sora shouted. "I have a GPA of 3 point… other numbers."

"And you can't tell when someone clearly did something-"

Squall and I cut him off. "Can you two shut the hell up?!"

"Alright." Devain said.

"Don't let your shadows kill you." I told Squall and Sora as their shadows that Riku created appeared.

The room then faded and we were looking for the last room.

"How do I have one more room?" I asked.

"Because it always works like that." Devain replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Not always." I said as Stella pulled me to the last room.

We were on the deck and Hook was trying to fight us. I simply pushed Hook off the side and let the crocodile or alligator attack him.

"That was easy." I said as we appeared in the 'Victory room'.

"Now all we need is a red button."

"Very funny." I said as we walked into the white room and headed up the stairs. There was a man, or at least I thought it was a man with light pink hair standing there. He was in in a black coat just like the others.

"Card please." I told him.

"I don't have the time to deal with you right now so just take it and go." He threw two cards, one at Devain, the other at me. "You two must go on separately."

"Why?" I asked him

"Because having two beings with two sets of memories that intersect on few occasions it puts too much strain on the rooms." The probably a man said.

"What? Sounds like a bunch of crap to me." I told him.

"You two go on separately, or not at all. Choose."

"Fine." I said and started to walk towards the door and opened it. I summoned a portal so Devain would be next to me and tried to pull him in before the pink haired man could stop us. The pink haired guy yanked Devain out of my grasp and back through the portal. It closed before Devain could make it back through.

"Augh!" I shouted as I walked around the bottom of the ocean. "Wait! Augh! I'm in Atlantica! Damn! How the hell am I breathing though?" I shrugged and walked around battling Heartless and having to repeat my living hell when I was at Atlantica. This was the memory of when I was here for the second time.

The world ened like when I there and made the others go to Hollow Bastion which I knew was next.

I sat in the white room waiting for what seemed like forever for Devain, but he wasn't there.

"He's not coming." I heard the boy with long bangs from before say.

"What do you mean he's not coming?"

"He's going to a completely different part of this floor."

I got off the ground. "Great!" I said sarcastically and crossed my arms. "Now what do you want?"

"I'm here to try to convince you to not go on."

I rolled my eyes. "Not gonna happen. I got to find my friends: Sora, Riku, and Naminé."

He smirked. "There are things above you can't even begin to fathom."

I rolled my eyes. "Like?"

"Like this." The room started to melt away to a scene of the pink haired guy holding Sora up in the air by his neck, and Devain pinned to the wall by a pink scythe through his chest.

"That's not real. I know it's not."

"Not yet." The boy said.

"It won't be real. They both fight too hard to be beaten."

"Fighting your hardest often is not enough." The boy said. "Some of my comrades have learned this lesson the hard way."

"Good. It means less of you guys to deal with."

"It also means that there are less bad fighters left."

I bit my lip when he said that part.

"And if you continue you shall meet the same fate that they did."

"Death does not scare me."

"I never said they died." The image of my friends deaths faded back to the room I was in.

I rolled my eyes. "Just give me the card."

"If you continue, then the one you want to get to will be pushed toward the fate you saw."

"And if I don't continue? They'll be there waiting for me."

"If you turn around and go back to the base of the castle, he will follow."

"Why are you all so interested in me though? I know Vexex or whatever his name was doing some kind of experiment to learn about my Keyblade, but is there something else too?"

"This plan doesn't concern you."

"You said he would follow as I left. Why?"

"Because he wants to find you, just as badly, if not more so, as you want to find him."

"I'd rather take my chances and continue then to back away scared."

"Fine then. Just get on to your death."

"I need my card first."

He threw the card and it landed at my feet, like always.

I picked up the card and saw it was Hollow Bastion again. I said nothing and walked to the door where I needed to go through my next memory.

I entered Hollow Bastion for the second time. It looked like when the Heartless attacked. I walked around saying nothing and almost thinking nothing. I just wanted to get out of here and never see this stupid castle again!

Walking around wasn't too bad. It was just annoying getting attacked by the most Heartless ever.

'_Mommy?' _I heard Stella ask.

"What's wrong, Stella?" I asked and picked her up, then resting her on my side as I walked.

'_Why are we at Hollow Bastion?'_

"The next place in my memories." I told her as we finally found the door with the crown on it.

I opened the door and we were in the cells of Hollow Bastion. Like I remembered, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Squall, and Devain were all in the cells. Squall's side was still bleeding badly.

'_What happened? Is this the place where Uncle Squall shot you?'_

I nodded and walked over to the cell where Squall was and handed him a potion that I had in my pocket.

'_If Uncle Squall shot you here, why would he want a potion? Unless he want's to give it to you later I don't understand.'_

I sighed. "Squall. Please take the potion." I begged ignoring Stella. "It will heal your wound most of the way."

He slowly took the potion. He uncapped it and sniffed. He drank some and his wound slowly started to heal.

I smiled nervously and then look at the others. They all looked at me as if they wanted to kill me and like that I betrayed them. "Guys?" I asked.

"You turned on us AGAIN." Squall said.

"If I turned on you guys why would I have just given you that potion?" I summoned my Keyblade and started to unlock all the locks for them. "And why would I be helping you right now?"

"To lull us into a false sense of security, and then stab us in the back. Just like last time." Sora said.

"Fine. You know what? I'll just leave and won't help you guys. Keyhole is towards the back of the castle by the way, and Kairi is there too." I said and started to leave the room, but forgot it needed to fade for me to leave.

"And you tell them this, WHY?" Maleficent asked behind me.

"Because I don't have time to relive this hell. I want to find the real Sora, and Riku, and then find Namine." With my Keyblade still in hand I tightened my grip on it.

I felt my whole body stiffen and my hand was forced to let go of my Keyblade. "Child, though I am a memory I still hold all the power of the true Maleficent."

"Do I look like I give a crap right now?"

She walked up to me. "You should, because that means," She made me turn towards everyone, "I can make you do whatever I want."

"You will not control me this time." I told her as my Keyblade appeared in my hand again. I turned to face Maleficent.

"This is not possible, you cannot be free!"

"I am though." I said and went to attack her.

She put her hand up and I slammed into an invisible barrier with a loud thud face first.

I grabbed my nose. "Aw! Shit! I think I broke my nose." I saw the darkness starting to fix my nose, so I would be fine in a little.

"Even if you are free from my influence, my power far exceeds yours." Maleficent told me.

I summoned a portal and made her disappear two seconds later. The room then started to fade and I was back in the many hallways looking for the next door. I headed into the direction of the chapel since that was the next place after the cells.

I then unlocked the door when I got to it with the card that appeared in my hand at some point. Like I guessed I was in the chapel.

"Child, you have wronged the darkness one too many times." Maleficent told me from the other side of the room.

"So what? Are you going to tell Ansem to kill me first then?" I mentally facepalmed myself.

"No, I shall kill you myself." She turned and pulled a huge piece of the floor out of the ground from under her.

"Good luck with that." I told her and summoned a portal yet again that was right in front of her.

"That trick will not work a second time." She waved her hand and the portal in front of her disappeared.

I rolled my eyes and went to attack her like usual with a swing from my Keyblade here and a swing there with the occasionally dodge.

She thrust her hand in my direction and I was thrown back about ten feet.

I cracked my back and neck as I stood. "I'm not going down that easily." I told her and went to attack again.

A pillar of something sprung up beneath me and I was flung probably twenty feet in the air.

When I hit the ground I heard a loud crack in my left arm that I landed on.

'_Dammit!' _I thought as I held my arm for a second till I saw the darkness starting to heal it.

"You never learned your place, you're just another Heartless in these hordes. If you fell, it would be a loss similar to that of a Wyvern Heartless."

I rolled my eyes as I stood up to attack her again. I summoned a portal and ran through it. I then attacked her from behind a few times.

She pushed me back again another ten feet.

I summoned a portal and used it to my advantage and attacked her from behind again. They were stupid moves, but I didn't have much to attack with.

Another pillar shot me up into the air again, but higher this time.

My back and head hit the ceiling. I then fell back on the ground with a loud thud. I laid on the ground for a few seconds trying to shake off what just happened. I slowly started to rise back up to my feet, but something was forcing me to stay down.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "I know you can't control me."

"I am not." Maleficent said and began to walk towards me. "I am simply using my power to force you to stay down."

I went to summon a portal, but Maleficent stopped me. "I'm not out for the count yet. I will win."

"Will you?"

I felt whatever was keeping me down start to weigh down on my chest, making it harder and harder to breath. I gasped for breath. I tried to throw my Keyblade at her to at least attempt to mess her up, but it failed.

"If you won't follow the darkness, you shall not serve the light."

I kept gasping for breath, but was not getting anywhere fast. I was quickly running out of breath and starting to black out. If I blacked out I knew she would kill me.

"Your friend shall meet the same fate."

I then blacked out a few seconds later.


	9. Chapter 9

I woke up in the white room the led to the stairs to go up. When I stood up I saw that I had dried blood on my arms. I went to continue walking, but saw the man with the light pink hair.

"You again? What do you want?!" I asked him.

"I want you to stop here, this is as far as you go."

"Why? Give me my card and let me through. I need to find Sora, Riku, Devain, and Namine!"

"No."

"Give me the card!" I told him loudly.

"No means no."

"Why is this as far as I go then, besides the fact that you won't give me my card?"

"Because there's nothing else for you here."

"Yes there is! I know there is!"

"Not if you keep going."

"Come on! I need to find my friends! Let me go through!"

"If you go back, so will they. And if you keep going they'll just end up running to their dooms."

"They will not! How would they know if I left?"

"Me and my friends would tell them."

"I seriously doubt that." I told him and crossed my arms. I just noticed Stella was not here! "Where's Stella?"

"She will also be returned to you if you turn back."

"Give her to me. Now!" I told him and summoned my Keyblade.

"No."

I tightened my grip on my Keyblade. I had enough of this crap. I ran at him to attack, but he summoned a pink bladed scythe and sent me flying back. I gritted my teeth and ran to attack him again only to be thrown back into the wall several times landing no hits on him.

"And your friends will have to fight me too, eventually."

"They are a lot stronger then me and will defeat you." I said as I got off the ground for the at least 12th time.

"Not nearly strong enough."

As I stood back up I had to lean on the wall a little so I didn't fall. I rushed at him again, and he cut my side with his scythe. I grunted in pain as I wrapped an arm around me to cover where I was bleeding which was on my right side near my waist.

"And I'm only toying with you."

I ignored the pain and ran to attack him again. I was finally able to get him but only nicked his cheek.

He smirked. "Seems I must stop holding back."

He then rushed at me swing in all kinds of different directions. I was able to dodge and block a few. My arms were starting to look like I was wearing gloves or sleeves made of blood. I had several cuts on my face, a few on my neck, and one on my leg. The man on the other hand had only small nicks I was able to give him.

"Are you going to give up, or do you want to continue that badly?"

I gave no verbal response, and attacked. As time continued my attacks were getting slower and slower by the second. I was doing terrible against the pink haired man!

"Time to finish you." He raised his scythe above his head and swung down swiftly.

I rolled out of the way just in time. I saw darkness wrapping around me. I was gaining my strength back. He threw his scythe at me spinning it. I was somehow able to grab the scythe and started to use it against him. He jumped up and landed behind me. He grabbed the shaft of the scythe and swung it, sending me flying again.

I summoned my Keyblade again and ran to attack him, only to get several injuries on my midsection. I lay on the ground in a puddle of my own blood, becoming too weak to fight.

"You should have turned back when you had the chance." The pink haired man said. He then lifted his scythe over his head again and got ready to swing down at me.

I closed my eyes and turned my head to one side and begged for mercy. I didn't know what came over me that I started begging. "Please, no!"

"Begging won't work." He swung down at me.  
"Marluxia!" I heard Axel shout. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting rid of this pest."

"You know Superior wants her." Axel said and crossed his arms. "He's very interested with her."

"If he wanted her so badly, why didn't he come down to retrieve her himself?"

"How should I know? All I know is that he wants her alive, so _don't _kill her." Axel grabbed Marluxia's scythe from his hands and pulled it away. "She'll bleed to death if you keep fighting her."

"Give that back!"

"Look who became a little kid." Axel said with a smirk and spun Marluxia's scythe around.

"Shut up, and give me my scythe."

"Why? Is it because your outfit doesn't work without it?" Axel said in a mocking tone of voice.

Marluxia growled a little and grabbed his scythe from Axel.

I tried to get off the ground but fell with every attempt.

"You stay where you are." Marluxia said and pointed his scythe at me.

I gulped as I was barely resting on my elbows. I knew I was going to have nightmares about this. I looked at Axel as if I was depending on him to help me.

"Marly, stop. You've made your point."

"It's not Marly!" He shouted. "I know when I have made my point and I know I did not make my point clear with her yet!"

"You've nearly killed her, you made yourself crystal clear."

"Have I?" He asked as he put his scythe to my neck and started to put pressure on it.

A few tears escaped as I went back to laying on the ground and tried to crawl away.

"MARLUXIA!" I heard Axel scream and the pressure disappeared. "You've been given a direct order to keep her alive, follow it or I'll be forced to eliminate you."

He let out a quick annoyed sigh and disappeared.

"A-Axel?" I asked once Marluxia left.

"Don't push it. He's in a sour mood as it is."

"Thank you though." I said as I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the pain.

"Here, you're going to need this." He gave me a potion with a card on the bottom of the bottle.

"Thank you, Axel. I owe you big time." I said then drank the potion as the darkness was trying to heal my wounds. I smirked as I saw the potion and the darkness healing me at the same time.

"Yeah, you do." He said and walked out of the room through a portal.

I looked at the card. There was a place on it that I was never to at all. "What is this place?" I asked myself.

I got off the ground and slowly started to head to the next floor… alone.

When I opened the door I was in a town that had a sunset that was not moving at all. I wandered around completely lost and confused of where to go, to what I would find. I had my first gold card in my hand, but I was getting nowhere fast with it, so I put it in my pocket for now. I was running into few almost no Heartless.

When I finally found the door I was looking for it took me to a castle or a mansion. There was a brick wall surrounding it with a black iron fence.

"Where am I?" I asked even though no one was there.

"Twilight Town." I heard Larxene say.

I jumped back that I was against the brick wall, scared.

"It's just you and me now." She said and brought her knives out.

"Please don't hurt me!" I begged not even bothering to try to defend myself.

She smiled evilly. "Begging makes it more enjoyable for me."

I tried to back up more, but was obviously unable to get any more distance between us.

"I'm going to make you scream." She threw her a knife at me.

I closed my eyes as it landed in the bricks next to my ear. I let out a quick little whine in fear.

She smirked. "Run."

I did as she said and went to run past her, but she held out her knives and they cut through my side.

Her knives sent a large jolt of electricity through me. I fell to the ground with my left hand covering the cuts on my right side. She crouched down and looked at me sideways. "Aw, is the wittle baby huwt?"

I took my hand off my side and quickly punched her face. Big mistake.

Her head turned to the side as I made contact and she turned back to look at me. "Bitch, you're going to die!" She pulled back her fist full of knives and a hand grabbed it at the elbow.

"Hello, Larxene." Vexen said.

Larxene turned all of her focus to Vexen and started to attack him.

I took my chance and ran like hell. I didn't look back I just kept running. I didn't know where. At some point I opened another door and was on top of a clock tower after running up a lot of steps.

I leaned on one of the walls and stared at the sunset trying to calm down. I had just been close to death three times in a row!

"You really need to be more careful." I heard Axel say next to the door.

I jumped back and quickly screamed. "Oh, Axel… It's only you." I said a few seconds later and put a hand over my heart.

"'Only me'? I'm hurt."

I smirked. "Sorry, Axel. What, did you want me to call you a knight in shining armor or something?" I laughed. I hated all the fairy tail crap.

"Not really. For one: I don't use a sword, I use these." He summoned two gigantic fancy shurikens. "Another thing is that I don't have a horse or armor."

I smiled. "It was a joke. Learn to laugh."

"I know how to laugh, it wasn't funny."

My smile went to a smirk as I looked over the town. "Axel, how do I know this place if I've never been here?"

"It's a place from the other side of your heart."

I looked at him confused. "Other side of my heart? How? I lost my heart to darkness."

"It's still there."

I sighed and sat on the edge. "You know, this would be a perfect spot to just get away and maybe eat some ice cream here."

"I used to all the time."

"Really?"

"Everyday."

"Why don't you still go? It would be a shame to just forget about this place and the view."

"I'm here, not at the place this is from."

"I saw you use portals like I do. Why don't you just use those and go there?"

"I'm supposed to take care of some things here first."

"That stinks." I told him still sitting on the edge. I felt something run down my side. It was blood. My blood. I put my hand at my side hoping the darkness would heal it.

"Larx is a bitch to everyone, it isn't just you. But you did a pretty good job of pissing her the first time you met."

"I think everyone I've run into this place so far has tried to kill or hurt me, but not you. Why?"

"Because I don't care if you find your way to the top."

I smiled and got off the edge. "You seem like a really nice guy, Axel." I told him and walked past him.

"I try."

I smiled as I walked down the stairs hoping to find my way out of here soon without any more injuries. I walked down an alley that had a door with what I was hoping was a way out. I walked through and I was in the next white room.

I saw the boy with silver hair again.

"You again?" I asked calmly.

"Yes, and you almost didn't live to see the vision I gave you come true."

"It won't come true. I'll probably end up being the one who dies." I mumbled that last sentence.

"It will, that pink haired demon will kill your friends and you."

I smirked when he called Marluxia a demon.

"He wears a black hood, carries around a scythe, and he almost killed you. Who does that sound like?"

"Death." I told him and leaned on the wall. "You know I still want to continue though."

"I don't understand why, as death could be around every corner, your killer any beast or man."

"I told you before. I may be scared a little right before it happens, but I don't fear it once it comes close."

"Than why did you cry when Larxene was about to kill you?"

"Again, scared, but then when she probably just started to kill me I would be fine."

"I'm sure." He said sarcastically.

I sighed, starting to doubt what I was saying. He was right every time I was close to death I was completely scared, and I ran from it. I sighed again as I realized I was lying to myself the whole time. "May I please have my card?" I asked mumbling a little as I looked at the ground.

"If you continue, what I showed you before will come to pass."

I sighed now wondering if I actually wanted to continue. I then sat on the ground with my knees to my chest. My life was about ready to start crashing down, or maybe it already was and I didn't realize it till now.

"If you want to turn back, go right ahead. You won't be harassed on your way out."

I got off the ground and studies my choices. Choice A was to leave, and choice B was to continue and possibly die. I started to head my way over to the steps to leave. It wasn't worth it. I looked at the boy and sighed as I got ready to leave. I stopped myself as my foot touched the first stair.

"I'm not leaving." I said, faced him, and started to walk towards him.

"Fine, have it your way. Don't say I didn't warn you." He walked up to me and handed me a card.

I took the card and looked at it. It was Destiny Island! My eyes widened and I headed to the door and walked in.


	10. Chapter 10

I smiled, and closed my eyes as I smelt the ocean. Home sweet home! I ran around happily, so happy that I almost forgot to look for the door. When I found the door I was in the secret place. I looked around noticing that a lot of pictures were missing. What this when I first came to the island?

There wasn't really anything that happened, so I was back to walking on the island. I saw a boat at the dock and got in and headed to my house.

"Hey, come back with my boat!" I heard a young Sora yell at me.

When I got to where home was there was a giant locked door covering the only way for me to get home. I unlocked the door with a card that at some point appeared in my hand. When I walked through I looked like I did when I was a kid. I was wondering why this didn't happen when I revisited Hollow bastion the first time.

"Hi!" A blond hair boy shouted as he walked up behind me.

"Hi." I said quietly.

"My name's Devain!" He stuck his hand out for me to shake it. "What's your name?"

"Rosalinda." I shook his hand.

"Wow! That's a long name! I'm gonna call you Rose, and you're gonna be my best buddy!"

"Okay." I gave a small smile knowing what was next.

"Come on!" Devain grabbed my arm and started leading me to a boat. "I'm gonna take you to this really cool place on this island." He said as he helped me in to the boat. "The island is so cool! There's this hidden place that only me, and my friends Riku, and Sora know about. We draw all over the walls and hang out there and play games."

"Why is this place so cool?"

"Kids can just escape, and they can play with all the other kids that live on Destiny Island too."

"How many live here?"

"Uhhh… Eight counting you and the new girl from two or so days ago."

"New girl?"

"Yeah. She had short bright red hair like yours. She wears a white tank top, a purple skirt with shorts under it."

"Kairi!"

"Yeah! That's her name! Wait… How did you know her name?"

"She lived not far from me. I use to hang out with her and my best friend Yuffie all the time! One day Kairi just disappeared though."

"This will be great! Kairi doesn't remember anything about her home, so maybe you can tell her."

"I doubt she'll believe me."

"I bet she will. She's curious about where she's from."

I sighed and looked up at the sky. I was happy that I was reliving this though. I really missed home.

"Don't look up at the sky too long, my mom says the sun will hurt your eyes."

I smiled and looked at him. He was even cuter as a kid!

"Why you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?"

I blushed almost immediately for some reason. Devain was just a kid memory. Maybe I was just impressed somehow. "Uh! N-no, sorry."

"Why's your face red? Is it hotter than you're used to here, or something?"

"Yeah! I'm use to 50-60s for the temperature."

"Wow, that's really cold for around here! Where did you live before you moved here?"

"Radiant Garden, but my home was destroyed by monsters and they attacked me. Next thing I knew I was here."

"Really?! That must've been terrifying."

I nodded and said nothing else. I was looking at Devain every once and a while. I really missed being a little kid. It was a carefree time where all you did was play games and make friends that hopefully became your best friends.

"You've been really quiet. Is something wrong?" Devain asked me.

"Huh?" I asked not really catching what he said.

"You're really quiet. Are you always like that or is something wrong?"

I smiled. "You'll know when you're older."

He tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

I laughed. "Oh nothing."

"Come on tell me."

"Nah. You can wait till you're 14."

"But I wanna know now."

I laughed again.

"Why are you laughing?"

"You. I'm laughing because of you."

"But I didn't make any jokes."

"Well, don't start making jokes because you're terrible at them." I said smiling. I think this is the most that I've smiled since I got to the castle.

"If I didn't make any jokes, how would you know if I'm bad at them?"

"Because I remember you telling me them. It's kind of hard to explain to a 5 year old."

"How do you know I'm five?"

"Because I'm your best friends, and eventu-" I stopped myself before I told him I was his girlfriend. I had no clue if he was starting to remember our life together or not.

"And what?"

"Nothing. It's not important."

"Come on, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"You have to not freak out if I tell you though, okay?"

"Okay, now what is it?"

I chuckled. "When our world gets attacked by monsters called Heartless we will eventually be going to a world called Olympus Coliseum and you are going to ask me out. Like you want me to be your girlfriend." I told him, but I had a strange feeling he would freak out.

"Wait, monsters attack the whole world?!"

Well, I had the freak out part, but not what I was expecting him to freak out about. "Yes. You and Sora are going to get weapons called Keyblades. You've always had them, but it will be the first time you two summon them." I summoned my Keyblade and showed him. "This is mine. I don't summon mine till we get to Olympus Coliseum."

"Then how do you have it now?"

"I'm going through my memories again. This is all fake." I told him as I desummoned my Keyblade.

"Am I fake?"

"You are, but the Devain I run around with is real."

"But I am Devain."

I rolled my eyes. "You are a memory of Devain. I can prove it, because you were going to play a prank on Riku with help from Sora."

"How did you know?"

"Because for me it already happened."

"But it hasn't happened yet."

"Not to you it hasn't." I told him. "We should be at the island soon, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, you're weird."

I laughed a little. As Devain helped me out of the boat when we got to the island everything started to fade.

Devain was now gone I was left to find the next room. I wandered around and realized I looked like my 16 year old self again when I was walking around the shore of the island.

The next room led me to when we were all in the secret place after the race. No one was in the room yet, but I knew they would be soon. I leaned on the wall and waited till Devain came. I heard his footsteps like before.

"Behind the rock with Kairi and Sora on it." I told him.

I heard his footsteps get closer and then he came up behind the rock. "Why'd you run away if you were just going to tell me where you were?"

"I just remember all of this happening, and I didn't like this part of the day."

He plopped down next to me. "So what happens today?"

"Well in here I apologize for what happened, you and I share the paopu you won, and then tonight the island will get destroyed by Heartless and we'll then be at Traverse Town where you'll meet Squall."

"And who is Squall?"

"He's my older brother by my adoption into his family."

"Oh."

I shrugged and sat next to him. "So do you remember anything that happens after what I just told you?"

"No, should I?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Everyone I run into from my memories remembers stuff that hasn't happened to them yet."

"That's weird."

I nodded. "So you don't remember be cuddled next to each other on the gummi ship, or how horrible our first date went?"

"We had a first date?"

I nodded. "When we went back to Traverse Town you and I sat on the top of the ship eating pizza and watched the stars."

"I don't what you're talking about."

I sighed and rested my head on the wall. "Guess you don't remember." I mumbled.

"I don't."

"It's fine." I told him smiling a little, but it was probably hard to notice.

"But something you said is going to be true."

"The paopu?" I asked.

"How'd you guess?" He held out half of it to me.

I took the half and smiled. "Because I already lived this part." I told him then took a bite.

"Did you kiss yet?" Kairi asked.

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Well, when?"

I looked down at the ground. _'At Olympus Coliseum.' _I thought.

"Kairi, shuddup." Devain said.

I smiled a little and kissed Devain's cheek.

"I meant on the lips." Kairi said and placed her hands on her hips.

"Again, shuddup." Devain told her.

"Just kiss her." Sora said and crossed his arms. "We all know you will eventually."

Devain facepalmed. "Both of you, just shuddup."

"Come on!" Kairi whined. "I saw you two share the paopu, so just freaking kiss! That's the next step!"

"Kairi, stop." I told her. "He doesn't have to kiss me. Why don't you go share that paopu with Sora and go kiss him if you really want some kissing action."

Both of their faces turned bright red.

"That's why I told you to shuddup." Devain said.

I laughed and rested my head on Devain's shoulder, forgetting that this wasn't the real Devain.

"Aw look Devain! She does really like you! If you don't take her you'll be stuck with Selphie." Kairi said with a laugh.

"Shuddup, Kairi." Devain said.

"For god's sake!" Sora said as he grabbed mine and Devain's heads and made us kiss. "Problem solved."

Devain pulled away quickly, his nose a little red. He turned to Sora. "You're an ass."

"Looks like she liked it though." Sora said and pointed to me.

My face was bright red, and I was smiling a little, but quickly looked away.

"DAWWWWW!" Kairi exclaimed with a happy squeal at the end.

"Both of you, shuddup."

"What's the matter Devain?" Sora asked jokingly. "Did you two want to be alone to kiss?"

"Sora. Run as if Satan himself was chasing you."

Sora immediately ran out of the room with no questions asked. Devain quickly followed.

The room started to fade and I was standing outside of the secret place. I walked to the small island where Riku would be. I unlocked the door and I was close on what I thought it would be.

I was battling the giant Heartless that attacked the island.

"Not this again." I mumbled and summoned my Keyblade and started attacking the Heartless without the help from Devain and Sora.

"Need some help?" Sora asked.

"It would kill it quicker." I told him as I attacked the Heartless hand.

Like before Devain was swallowed up by the Heartless. I knew he would be back in a minute though.

"Uh… Rosie? You do know your boyfriend just got swallowed by this thing, right?" Sora asked as he attacked the Heartless' head.

"Yeah. He'll be back in a minute or two. Till then keep fighting!" I shouted as I started to attack the other arm.

What seemed like several minutes past and Devain was still not back.

'_Devain, come on dammit! Get your keyblade and get the hell out of there!' _I thought as Sora and I continued to fight.

The Heartless' hand exploded a few minutes later. I knew it was Devain.

"Took you long enough." I teased.

"Shut up, and help kill this thing."

I rolled my eyes as I continued to attack. The Heartless was destroyed a few moments later. The vortex sucked us up like before. This time I didn't go to Traverse Town.

When I exited the portal I went flying through the doors for the next floor and slammed my back against the wall.

"That. Was. Awesome!" I said when I finally stood up.

I heard slow clapping to my right. "It was, you did better than the last time that happened." I heard Axel say.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Hey Axel." I said and faced him. "I actually had a weapon this time. That's what made it better."

He smirked. "Your friend put on quite a show."

"Was Sora being a clown again behind my back?" I laughed.

"No, the other one."

"Ohhhhhh. Yeah, Devain can be over dramatic in battles sometimes." I said and leaned on the wall.

"I don't think he was being over dramatic. Exploding the hand of something that just tried to consume you is a reasonable response."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. At least he was able to escape the darkness before something bad happened to him." I mumbled that last sentence.

"It already had, about a decade ago, from what Vexen said about him."

I looked at him through the corner of my eyes. "Go on." I told him. "Tell me what you know about whatever Vexen said."

"I would ask him for some more info, but he's not exactly…breathing anymore."

"Yes!" I quickly celebrated.

He smirked. "I didn't like him much either."

"How could anyone? He's creepy and always wants to do experiments on others. He said that he was performing a very similar experiment on three of his coworkers or whatever that he did to me."

Axel shrugged. "He was necessary for awhile."

I shrugged almost forgetting that I had another floor to go to. "Oh Axel! Do you have the card for me to go to the next floor?"

"That I do." He said and pulled a card out from sleeve.

I took the card from him I chuckled a little. "Wanted to try to be a magician for a minute, did you?"

"No, just didn't have anywhere else to put it."

"You have a pocket right there." I said and pointed to the pocket on his left with my card.

"It's got a hole in it."

I rolled my eyes and then looked at the card. It was the gummi ship! "Oh goody." I said sarcastically.

Axel left through a portal a few seconds later after I unlocked the door.


	11. Chapter 11

I felt a little nervous as I walked into the gummi ship. I didn't know if I was going to relive the good moments or the bad ones. I was hoping it was the good moments honestly.

As soon as I stepped foot onto the ship Devain was waiting with the others for me.

"What?" I asked.  
"You done talking to your brother, Rose Bush?" Sora asked.  
"Ha ha, very funny, Sora." I said and crossed my arms.

"Well, welcome to the gummi ship." Donald said.

So far this memory was a lot better then when this first happened.

"So… Go find a room with a white door on it. It means it's a opened room. Pick whichever room you would like. There will be two keys in your room. Keep one for yourself, and then give the other one to me in the control room.

We all nodded. Like before Sora, and Devain ran to the rooms near the kitchen.

I smiled as they all faded, but I stayed in the same room.

"You have some really nice, and close friends." I heard a girl that almost sounded like Kairi.

I turned around to see a girl with blond hair, in a white dress that went to about her knees, and blue sandals. She looked at me with blue eyes that were sad, but tried to fake happiness.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Namine. Don't you remember me?" She asked.

I thought about it for a moment. "Namine!" I said happily and gave her a hug. "It seems like it's been forever since I last saw you."

She smiled, but something was not right.

"Namine, you okay?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Okay, Miss. Stubborn." I said jokingly. "Oh Nam, look at what I still have." I pulled yellow star that was on a green braided chain out of my pocket.

"My lucky charm!" She said excitedly.

"Yep!"  
"You kept it for all of these years?"  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I? You're one of my friends. I couldn't forget you even if I tried! I remember the day you gave this to me as if it was yesterday."

She smiled. "You do, do you?"

"Yeah! You and I were sitting on the island when we were kids and you got scared during a meteor shower. You were scared about getting hit by one. I grabbed a toy sword and swung it around saying that if one came near us I would protect you, and that was my promise as one of your friends. You then gave me your lucky charm a few minutes later." I smile and put her lucky charm back in my pocket. "I'll always remember that day. So what are you doing here, and how did you get here?" I asked.

She sighed and frowned. "I came to apologize."

"Apologize for what?"

She looked at the ground and rubbed her left arm.

"Nam?" I asked and out a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"  
"I-I'm sorry for having to play with your memories." She leaned on the wall and continued to look at the ground. I saw a tear fall from her.

"Nam, what are you talking about?"

She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes. "I'm not real. I'm a Nobody, Kairi's Nobody."  
"How are you not real? I have memories of you on the island with me and the others."

"Try to think about all the memories you have of me. Just list them all out loud."

"When you gave me your lucky charm…" I looked at her with wide eyes. The lucky charm was the only memory of her. "Nam, what's going on?" I asked a little annoyed. My hands slowly balled up into fist.

"I-I had to mess up your memories for Vexen, and Xemnas." I saw another tear escape.

"Why?"

Another tear escaped. "They wanted to use you. Vexen wanted to study you. Xemnas wanted to use your Keyblade ability. They told me that if I did that for them and a few other things I would be free from them." Several tears started to fall.

"Namine…" I said and gave her a hug. "I completely understand."

"... Oh yeah… Maleficent trying to get you to join her even though… you know."

I nodded and let go of her.

"So you're not mad?"

"A little, but what can I do? Nothing."

She smiled and wiped the tear tralles off her face. "I can fix this if we get to the 13th floor… If you want me to fix it all."

I nodded.  
"You'll forget all of this though."

"I'll meet you again. I know I will." I smiled and turned to go look for the doors.

_**Two Hours Later**_

I entered the training room of the gummi ship. Devain was standing around with his Keyblade.

"This was your idea, so what took you so long?"

"Got distracted along the way." I laughed and summoned my Keyblade. "Ready?"

"Ladies first." He said and got ready to fight me.

"Just like before." I said and rushed at him to attack.

The battle ended the same way as before but it lasted much longer.

"You've gotten better." Devain said to me with a smile.

"Thanks. Now lets go again." I told him. "You go first this time though."

"Alright, fine." He said as he ran at me and slashed at my hand.

I expected this and quickly got out of the way and attacked him from behind. He rolled forward before I could hit him, he popped back up, and turned back in my direction. I slashed at his left side that was not guarded. I hit his left arm and he grunted, then he swung his Keyblade up at my arm. I dodged rolled and attacked his right arm. He blocked my strike and kicked me in the stomach. I went back a few feet and quickly tried to recover by using a portal to throw him off. He dove into the portal and knocked me over. I quickly got up and attacked his right arm. He blocked again and tried to sweep my feet out from under me with his leg. I jumped over his leg and elbowed his head. He staggered back a little and sent a fireball at me. I jumped out of the way and went to disarm him, successfully getting his Keyblade in the teeth of mine. He pulled his Keyblade instantly and almost made mine fly out of my hands. With the teeth of our Keyblades still locked together I then pulled down diagonally. The only thing that did was pull him closer, and he figured it was time to knee me in the stomach (again). I grabbed my stomach, and felt blood get onto my arms, and completely forgot about the fight. He reopened the scars I got from Larxene.

"Oh shit! What happened?!" Devain yelled concerned.

"It's nothing…" I grunted as I searched in one of my pockets for a potion.

"You're bleeding through your shirt, we need to get you to the infirmary now." He said and led me to the door out.

For some reason Devain didn't disappear! He lead me quickly to the infirmary, and sat me down in a chair.

"We need to get that bandages." He said and went looking through a bin full of medical supplies.

I chuckled as I saw darkness wrap around my stomach. I then found the potion I was looking for a took it. By the time Devain turned around I was fine. "You could've said you were fine."

I laughed. "I did." Right after I said that the room started to fade away.

I was now in the victory room and headed to the 13th floor.

"Namine!" I shouted as soon as I entered the in between floors. I saw Riku in his dark mode standing not far from her. "Riku?"

"No." The guy said.

"Come on Riku. This is no time for games."

"I'm not Riku." He said and turned to look at me.

"Then who are you, and why do you look like Riku?"

"I'm a fake."

"You're a fake? How?"

"I was made by Vexen to make it easier for Sora to be controlled."

I sighed. "Well why are you here then if you are suppose to mess up Sora? I'm not Sora if you didn't notice."

"I'm here to stop whoever comes up here."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on Nam, let's get to the 13th floor and let Mr. Replica over there do whatever."

"I can't let you do that." He said and summoned Riku's dragon sword.

"Come on, do I really have to fight? I just wanna get out of here and keep my promise for Namine."

"I've got a promise too, and I'm not breaking it."

"How? You're a replica. Now come on Namine."

He put his sword in front of me. "I'm not going to let you take her."

"Why would that be? It's not like I'm gonna hurt her or anything. That would be going against my promise to her."

"I won't let you have the chance."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I summoned my Keyblade. "If it's a fight you want it's a fight you'll get."

He swung his sword straight for me.

"Namine, go!" I shouted before I started to attack the Riku replica.

I used a portal and made it that we were a few feet away from one another. He rushed at me and tried to slash my arm. I grabbed my arm and went to attack his side. He swung up, blocking my attack. Then he swung up his left hand and shot me with a ball of darkness. It hit my chest dead on and I went flying back into one of the walls. He rushed at me again and swung down at me. I barely dodged and attacked him from behind. He spun around and he caught my Keyblade in his left hand. He then punched me in the stomach. I accidentally let go of my Keyblade and grabbed my stomach and kneeled as I fell in pain. It he kept this up the scars would reopen and I might bleed out. He swung my Keyblade at me, but it disappeared as soon as it would've hit my head. I quickly stood and summoned my Keyblade ready to attack. He slashed at me again, but this time going for the scar on my arm. He reopened it and it quickly started to bleed, and I backed away to put some room between us. I was in deep shit now. He swung up and hit my chin. I then went to use portals to get as much distance as possible, but as soon as I got near the stairs I went to run for it. The replica grabbed the back of my shirt collar, which caused me to choke.

I coughed and gasped for air. "What the hell is your problem? Just let me go already."

"You pose a threat to Namine, if she leaves she'll be hunted like a dog and killed."

"No she won't!" I shouted and went to swing at him.

"She will." He blocked with ease. "The rest of the Organization will find her, kill you, and torture her so that she wishes she was dead."

I growled and we went back to attacking each other without saying anything. He swung at me so fast his sword was a blur. It was hard for me to block one of his strikes, let alone one right after the other. I went to attack him, but slipped on something. It was my own blood! He grabbed my neck and held me up.

"You couldn't stand up to the Organization. You can't even fight me for more than three minutes."

I grabbed his wrist and kicked his face hoping he would drop me. He didn't and I was suspended in the air, slowly suffocating. I gasped for breath doing everything I could think of to get him to let go of me. "You're not going to cause any mo-"

"STOP!" Namine screamed at the replica. He dropped like a puppet with its strings cut and he dropped me along with his sword.

I coughed and gasped for air as I looked at Namine. "Thanks." I said after I coughed again.

"Just go, he'll be back up in a little while, and here." She handed me four potions.

I thanked her and took the portions, drinking them as we ran. "Come on then." I said and grabbed her arm.

The next set of doors opened without any cards. Namine ran and led the way somehow avoiding all the Heartless along the way. A few Heartless tried to grab us but I stopped them with my Keyblade.

Namine eventually lead me into a room that had these weird pods or something in them.

"Namine, what are these?"

"These will let you regain your memories, but you won't remember anything that happened here, or me."

"I can't forget you Namine. Even if I tried I couldn't."

"It's not up to you." She shoved me into a pod.

"Wait, Namine!" I shouted and stopped her from pushing me into the pod.

"What? The sooner you get in the sooner you'll get your memories back to the way they're supposed to be."

"I don't want to forget about you though. I don't care if these memories are fake, but the ones of us talking today are."

"No they aren't." She told me. "They made me put that memory in your head."

"I know, but the ones we are making right now are real."

"Don't you want to remember all of the times with Devain and your brother?"

"I would, but that's not the point. I don't want to forget a friend to remember everything else. A lot of my memories I could live without. I know that at some point others would tell me stuff that I forgot."

"But getting told a story is different than being there and seeing it."

I sighed. "Will it restore _all _my memories?"

"Yes."

I sighed sadly and looked at the pod. "Okay, but how am I going to thank you when this is all over and I don't remember you?"

"We'll meet again, but you won't recognize me."

I smiled. "Well, I say it now then." I gave her a hug. "Thanks, Namine." I said and walked into the pod. "See you soon."

"Good bye." She said.

The pod started to close. When it did close I saw Squall, Devain, Sora, Riku, and a whole lot of people I met. They were all blurry at first, but they soon started to become normal again. I saw Namine standing to the side of me.

"Does this really mean goodbye?" I asked sadly.

"For a long time, but not forever."

I laughed. "This sounds like the end of a cheesy love story or whatever."

She giggled. "Sleep tight, Rosalinda."  
I sighed and nodded. "See you later, Namine." I started to close my eyes and was in a long sleep filled with memories of everything and everyone…except a few people.


End file.
